The Feeding
by aliensexual
Summary: There is a village deep in the woods that is contractually bound to feed a group of savage 'others' once a month during the new moon. When a young witch breaks the contract and strays out of bounds, he is kidnapped by the mysterious creatures and is taken on a horrifying and life-changing journey into their world.
1. Awakening

**/deep breath. Okay.**

**This one is going to be a doozy. The idea of a village controlled by monsters is played very straight. This will essentially be a vampire fic, but the vampires in the story are very, very different from most modern portrayals of vampires- They're more close to werewolves than your typical vampire; very wild and savage in nature.**

**That said, this fic will NOT be light and pleasant. I'm really upping the ante with the horror here. Expect a lot of blood and guts, some very graphic non-con, twisted romance, supernatural hijinks...all the stuff you'll come to expect from me. Ciel is NOT 'normal' in this fic, you will find out why that is later on in this chapter, and if it bothers you, then you can leave. Also a love triangle, but let's be honest, I think you all know who is going to win out in the end.**

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><p>The tall grass brushed around Ciel's knees as he wandered the clearing, and he reached down to pluck another flower and add it to his basket. He was far outside the borders of the village-past the edge of the forest, past the stream, past the far reach of the crude wooden watchtowers around its perimeter-well out of the reach of safety. Ciel's bravery was the sort found in tales, however-and heedless of the warnings he'd heard since childhood, he simply loved being in the woods. His bare feet relished the soft, moist earth that clumped around his toes, the sound of the branches rustling overhead, the constant hum of life around him. The forest seemed to cross arms around him, cradle him close, a safe haven in which he could thrive.<p>

Besides, the best herbs grew in the forest's depths. He shifted his basket-quite full from an afternoon of gathering-to one arm before leaning down to pluck a final addition. It was a sweet-smelling red flower that he'd only found hiding in the little thickets of hazel around the river bed, and he added it quickly to his collection.

Satisfied with the day's work, he straightened up and slipped up the hood of the curious red tunic he always wore when he went outside. The woods were deceptively cheerful, alight with the sounds of wildlife and the lively stream that cut through the thick, elderly trees, and Ciel hummed cheerfully as he hopped across the stones jutting out from the rushing water. He walked briskly down the trail he'd found through the woods until he approached one of the watchtowers. He'd been certain to go past this one on his way into the woods, since he knew this particular watchman would never tell on him for going out of bounds.

"Finny!" he called out, waving. "I'm back."

The golden haired boy at the top of the watchtower swallowed the bit of apple he'd had in his mouth and pushed down his hood. He leaned over the ladder to wave back at Ciel.

"Come on up!" he called. "I've got some food up here."

Ciel climbed up the ladder and set his basket down on the dusty wooden floor. Finny handed him an apple and glanced at the collection of flowers, his expression quizzical.

"Y'know, are those flowers worth givin' me an 'eart attack?" he asked, half-serious.

Ciel laughed. "Yes indeed, my friend. They're rare herbs, you know. They don't grow in the town proper. And I have yet to give you a heart attack by going out of bounds, because nothing happens, so calm down." He took a big bite of apple.

"Point is," Finny continued. "It's out-of-bounds. Ya know what's out there, Ciel. They're-"

"Oh enough with the lecture," Ciel said, waving a hand. "I know. I promise I can take care of myself. And for your information, these are for my father. For-his medicine." He cleared his throat nervously.

Finny sat back, and for the moment let the soft sound of blowing leaves take hold of the conversation. He glanced down to check on the ground below, then regarded Ciel thoughtfully.

"You ought to consider becomin' an 'ealer with them herbs," he suggested. "I know your dream is to sing in the city an' all, but maybe it's better to stay close to home, what wit' your father's 'ealth."

"I'll keep that in mind," said Ciel with little conviction. He tossed the rest of his apple into the basket and got to his feet. "And with that, I ought to be getting home to him. Thank you for covering for me again."

"Anythin' to 'elp ya," said Finny with a weary sigh.

Shady Hollow was just a half mile up from the watchtower, a farming community that was all at once tight-knit and sprawling, weathered in by years yet still flourishing with youthful effervescence. The grass was a rich, deeply saturated green, the crops proud and tall and fat, the stream sparkling as it tumbled down the waterwheel. Ciel passed a few children as they played, careful to swing around as to not run into any of them, and made his way down the small cobbled path toward his house.

It was a busy little cottage, blanketed in ivy on the outside and all rich dark wood within. The kitchen was bathed in sunlight from the open window-and the rays fell upon Ciel's wide assortment of plants and flowers, his stacks of books, the treasures and knickknacks he insisted on keeping despite his father's weary protests. The rich, heady scent of herbs permeated the place, layered over the smell of dust, of paper, of firewood. For a home that housed only two, it was well broken in, well loved.

Ciel walked into the kitchen, put a cauldron on the fire, then got to work.

His hands moved swiftly through the basket, sorting the herbs into batches as the pot boiled behind him. Heart thrumming with anxiety, he seized the spellbook he kept under a loose floorboard near the stove and paged through it. He found the spell he was looking for and followed it as closely as he could-(from his secret stash of ingredients he dropped in a crow's foot and the eyeball of a sheep, and from the basket he was sure to add the red flower he'd found in the forest)-all the while keeping a watchful eye out for his father.

With every ingredient he dropped into the potion, with every magic word he spoke, he poured in one wish- That this would be it. This would be the spell that cured his father.

Since childhood Ciel had known that his father was in poor health-an ailment of the heart, as the physician had said, but they didn't have the money for medications and treatment. Frustrated, Ciel had taken matters into his own hands. Everyone in Shady Hollow, including his father, thought he was simply practicing herbal medicine-and he kept up the lie, fearful of what would happen if anyone knew the truth.

He knew what happened to people like him. To witches.

Once the brew had started cheerfully bubbling Ciel knelt by the ashes in front of the fire and took the poker in hand. He drew little symbols in the white, feather-soft dust as he breathed in the sweet perfume of the cooking herbs, losing himself in a trance. He distinctly remembered the voice of his mother, whispering beautiful words to him which he now knew to be spells-and the memory cloaked him like a warm blanket, soothed him as he finished the incantation and straightened up. He quickly stamped out his drawings and lifted the pot off the stove, transferring its contents to a kettle. Just as he began fixing his father a cup, he heard the man shuffling in from the bedroom.

"Oh- Father!" Ciel scolded, setting down the kettle. "You should be resting!"

"What do you think I've been doing all afternoon, boy?" Vincent muttered in reply. Despite his gruff demeanor he reached around to ruffle the hair on the back of Ciel's head. "Making another foul-tasting thing for me to drink?"

"It's herbal medicine," Ciel corrected gently. "As I've told you many times before. It makes you feel better, doesn't it? You've told me that."

"Only to get you to shut your mouth," Vincent mumbled in reply, but Ciel knew he was only teasing.

His father was like an old bulldog, unamused and rough around the edges-in nearly every way the opposite of Ciel, who was like a skittish barnyard cat- But still, they worked. Somehow they'd met halfway, making their little half-family whole, balancing each other perfectly.

Ciel brought his father the steaming up, which Vincent took and sniffed at, wrinkling his nose. He took a sip and grimaced, but said anyway, "It's good, Ciel. Thank you."

And there it was, their family relationship in a nutshell.

Once Ciel was sure Vincent had drank a few sips, he bustled about getting ready for voice lessons. The house went quiet, and Vincent didn't speak again until his son was at the door tying up his boots, ready to leave.

"Now, you remember what tomorrow night is, right?" he said in a tense voice, holding his cup of tea tightly.

Ciel sighed; of course he knew. "The feeding," he replied, and felt a shiver despite himself. No matter how many times they went through the motions every month, the strange ritual never stopped being ominous and confusing.

"Right," said Vincent with a nod of his head. "So the woods are a little more dangerous than usual, this close to the feeding, you know that. I want you inside the village borders at all times, and home before sundown. And tomorrow, I want you indoors. Is that understood?"

"Yes Father," said Ciel warily. He watched Vincent for a moment, biting his lip. "How are you feeling?"

"A little more awake at least," said Vincent with a shrug, but Ciel knew that was a good sign; his father was prone to understatements. The herb mixture had to have been working, he thought, and cursed himself. If only he'd taken more than one flower from the woods earlier…

"Aren't you late for your voice lesson?" Vincent's voice cut through his thoughts.

Ciel shook himself and moved around to plant a small kiss on his father's head. "I'll be back by sundown," he promised. His father's overprotectiveness was irksome at times-especially when Ciel had been a child-but he had grown to appreciate it. It was only natural; they were all each other had, after all.

He put up his hood and walked back out into the sunshine.

Ciel hurried across the village and up the hill to the church-a stately white building half-tucked away in an overgrowth of trees, old but steadfast, weathered but upright. He entered quietly, and a bright smile lit up his face at the sight of his vocal instructor.

Edward was quite a bit older than him, a tall man with an utterly charming smile that never failed to make Ciel's heart do backflips. He matched Ciel's grin with one of his own, welcoming him inside as his last student walked out.

"Ciel," he greeted. "I've been looking forward to seeing your lovely smile all day. Come in, let's warm up."

The compliment certainly made Ciel's cheeks warm up, and he carefully tried to contain his nerves as he sang a few scales along with Edward's piano. As the lesson progressed Ciel felt himself get more and more relaxed; singing really was his favorite thing to do. It lifted his spirits like no spell ever could, took him somewhere perfect, somewhere infinite.

Edward was the only person around who truly understood Ciel's dream to sing in the city. Ciel's friends were supportive, certainly, but whenever Ciel brought up his dream to them they almost always went tense and quiet. To suggest leaving the village was to tread dangerous waters- Ciel knew that, and yet he couldn't accept the prospect of a future spent entirely within its confines. He'd heard tales of the city, of its opulence and its limitless possibilities. He longed to just see it, to glimpse it with his own eyes, even if he knew his father would never allow it.

"Your voice is a treasure, Ciel," Edward always told him. "It deserves to be shared with the world. I'm honored to be able to hear it as often as I do, but it's a great sin that your songs may ever grace the ears of only one man."

Ciel's voice soared high to the vaulted ceilings of the church, and he got lost in each song, stringing them together into one. When the last number was finished he descended, and opened his eyes only to find that Edward had been watching him. His gaze, while normally soft and appreciative, seemed much more intense than usual. Ciel's throat went dry and he swallowed, tugging at the bottom of his tunic.

"Breathtaking," said Edward, slipping off the piano bench. "I fear I have little more I can teach you, Ciel."

"Oh please," said Ciel, ducking his head to hide his grin. "I was a little off key, you can say it."

"I can lie if you'd like," Edward laughed. "If that'll make you come back for more lessons. I would hate to be robbed of the chance to see you each week."

Ciel's cheeks lit up. "I'll see you at the town gathering this weekend," he offered, and Edward chuckled. He was suddenly very close, and Ciel's heart took a leap up into the base of his throat, lodging there.

"As lovely as you and your voice are," Edward teased, "sometimes I fear your brain might be full of mush, little one."

He mussed Ciel's hair; Ciel pouted, quite crestfallen. Edward was prone to teasing him, but Ciel could tell it came from an affectionate place-most of the time, anyway. Right now, though, his smile was genuine.

"You've grown quite magnificently, Ciel," said Edward gently. There was a moment's pause in which Ciel was left to ponder what that meant, and then Edward was patting him on the back.

"Run along now," he was saying. "You'll give your father my best, won't you?"

"Of course," said Ciel. Suddenly there was a little bubble of hope in his chest, the sort that a sunny day and welcoming smiles could bring, and his heart settled back into a comfortable place in his chest.

He gave Edward a little wave then bounced out the door. The sun exploded in his eyes as he stepped outside, blinding him, so he didn't see his Elizabeth approach and was entirely unaware of her presence until she grabbed at his hand, startling him.

"Come on, Ciel!" she said brightly. "Let's go to the stable."

As his vision adjusted he could see her light pink-colored dress, thick blonde pigtails and megawatt smile. He nodded and let her drag him off to the stables, which had become their favorite place to hide away and talk. No one ever went in there but the stable boy, and he never said anything. He did tend to stare at Ciel, though, so Ciel was relieved to find that he wasn't around as they entered and flopped down upon a large stack of sweet-smelling hay.

Elizabeth immediately began to regale him with the mundane events of her day thus far, and he listened to her prattle on with feigned interest as he played absently with a piece of straw. Normally he'd make a better show of listening, but he couldn't stop thinking about what had happened in the chapel-and thankfully, before long Elizabeth seemed to notice that his mind was clearly elsewhere.

"You seem awfully distant," she said, pouting. "You didn't look very concerned when I told you about the frog I had in my throat this morning, and that's rather rude, you know."

"Oh I-I'm sorry," Ciel assured her quickly. "I'm terribly sorry about your frog, Elizabeth. I'm just- You're right. I am a bit distracted today."

Elizabeth's gigantic eyes got even bigger, and she scooted closer, her skirt bunching about her legs. "Explain yourself! It isn't about your father, is it?"

"Oh no," Ciel replied hastily. "It- Well, it isn't bad. It's..." He trailed off, and his cheeks glowed bright pink. Elizabeth's eyes sparkled.

""It's Edward, isn't it?" she deduced, perceptive as usual, and burst into delighted giggles. "Oh Ciel, did he court you? I knew he had eyes for you, I simply knew it!"

Ciel visibly shrunk, covering his face with his hands. "Elizabeth, I- Calm down, please, it really wasn't- I'm not sure... He's known me since I was a kid, and he's..."

"Oh hush," Elizabeth scolded. "You are wonderful and smart and charming and of course he wants to court you. What did he say?"

Ciel's voice got very small, barely audible. "He said he wanted to find something new to teach me so he could continue seeing me. But he says that sort of thing all the time, he's likely just teasing..."

"I'll be the judge of that. What else did he say?"

"Well, I..." Ciel tugged his hood over his head, trying to hide in it. "He said...um..."

"Um what?"

"That I'm...lovely."

The resulting shriek was deafening, and Ciel covered his ears tightly to muffle it. "Oh Ciel, that's splendid! You must let him court you, Ciel, and then you can get married and live in a little cottage together and it'll be so wonderfully romantic and I'm so terribly jealous, Ciel-"

"I never said anything was going to happen!" Ciel interjected sharply, tugging his arm away from where she'd been squeezing it painfully. "It's far too early to think of marriage, and besides, I doubt my father would approve. And I have to focus on his health, in case you've forgotten."

Elizabeth let up, sitting back, frowning. "But Ciel..."

"But nothing," Ciel replied, perhaps a bit too harshly. Elizabeth looked hurt. There was silence in the stable for a while, broken only by the sounds of the horses and the footsteps of the stable boy crunching from the distance. Ciel could see the outline of the stable boys large shadow along the wall, and motioned for Elizabeth to quiet down. He looked over at her, suddenly contrite.

"I'm glad you're hopeful for me," he told her, reaching over to squeeze her hand.

"Ciel," she interjected quietly. "You deserve happiness."

Another pause went taut in the air, and Ciel patted Elizabeth's hand awkwardly. "I am happy, Elizabeth. I promise." Suddenly he didn't want to be in the stable anymore. He wanted to go home and read, be with his father-and besides, the stable boy was staring at him again. He didn't like how that stare made him feel.

He got to his feet and brushed himself off, much to Elizabeth's dismay. "Wait, where are you going?"

"We both ought to get home," he told her gently. "We have a big night tomorrow, don't we?"

Her face fell and she visibly shivered. "Right. The feeding."

"Right."

Ciel helped her up and walked her out of the stable. They hugged and parted ways, and Ciel fell into deep thought as he headed home, barely looking at where he was going. His chest felt heavy-and though it was always weighed down by secrets, it seemed even more so. It hurt to lie to Elizabeth- The truth was, he wasn't happy, and he would have dearly liked to try something out with Edward, but things were more complicated than he could ever tell anyone.

He sighed heavily as he pushed in the door, and found his father asleep in the chair he'd been sitting in before. Ciel gently picked up the half-empty cup of tea from the floor beside him; it had gone stone cold. As he moved to pour it away and start his chores for the evening, he felt a great sense of loneliness. It would be nice to share everything with someone, to love and be loved, to have a partner just for him.

But his witchcraft wasn't the only thing he was hiding.

Night fell, and Ciel was bathing. He quickly dragged the rough sponge over his skin, squeezing it so the water he'd warmed up trickled down his body and kept him from getting too chilled. As usual, he focused on his upper body first, on the parts of him that felt normal, and then-

He looked down at himself, at the parts that weren't. Slowly and tentatively he brushed his hand between his legs, felt the softness of the folds where there ought to have been something else entirely. Usually he cleaned that part of himself hastily, got it over with quickly, but tonight he lingered for just a moment.

The fact that something so small changed his entire body so much was infuriating. He doubted Edward would respond well if he knew Ciel was a male with the what he understood to be the lower parts of a female- And who would? Ciel's father had told him since childhood that he had to keep it a secret, or else he'd be labeled an abomination against nature.

But nature made me this way, he thought bitterly as he cleaned himself slowly but thoroughly. There wasn't any blood, thankfully; that part of the month had already passed. Still, Ciel was angry. He was angry that he couldn't be a normal boy with a normal father and a mother, that he couldn't leave this smothering little town, that he could never have the body nor the life that he wanted.

The self-pity was there only for a moment-and he let it take its hold, let it sit there like a sour stomach for only as long as he would let it. Then he was drying himself off, mentally preparing himself for the day ahead. If anything brought the village together as one with a swift and effortless finality that no other event could achieve, it was the monthly ritual of the feeding.

It would be a distraction, at the very least.

The day of the feeding dawned eerily silent, as it usually did. Ciel was up with the sun, and did most of his chores before his father was even awake. Vincent had ordered him to stay inside, but Ciel couldn't bear the thought of a day spent

entirely without the touch of nature-so he crept outside, walked underneath the low-hanging clouds that stretched over the village like a dirty canvas.

Villagers were already dragging out livestock to slaughter, working together to gather an adequate amount to present to Them. Ciel was young, but he'd heard plenty of tales about feedings that went awry, that didn't provide enough livestock to please Them, that resulted in the worst tragedies Shady Hollow had ever known.

Ciel had been very young when Vincent first told him about Them-and naturally, his inquisitive mind had had to know more. He'd taken to reading about Them on dreary evenings when the indoor chores were done and the weather discouraged the outdoor ones, and he'd never before came across a subject that was talked about so profusely yet still remained so mysterious. No one quite knew who They were or where They came from, but the closest description Ciel could find likened Them to the vampyr tales of old-ancient, ruthless creatures who devoured human flesh, whose presence was like the night itself, cruel and fleeting.

It certainly seemed to match what Ciel's father had told him. According to legend, the village elders had made a pact with Them when they had first settled in the hollow long ago. If they provided enough slaughtered livestock to feed Them on the first night of the new moon every month, then They would let the villagers live in peace. There were other rules put in place as well-that no villagers should wander out of the boundaries of the village, or stay out past dusk on the eve of the feeding-and if broken, there was a terrible consequence.

Ciel could see a family dragging a slaughtered calf along their front yard, and he looked away, saddened. It seemed so cruel to give innocent animals to those monsters, but Ciel knew what would happen if they didn't. If the people of the Hollow didn't heed to Their every whim, someone would be taken. The last time the villagers had failed to meet their end of the contract, They had taken a young boy into the woods. It was unclear as to how and why They chose Their victims, but one thing was for certain- he was never heard from again.

The sky lightened and Ciel knew it was getting later in the morning. He'd lost track of the time- Quickly he spun around and walked briskly back toward the village, to his house. He headed inside, only to find Vincent standing in the kitchen, looking nothing short of terrified.

"Ciel-" He wheeled on his son, and a look of relief passed over his face before it was replaced with anger. "Did I not tell you to stay inside today? What were you doing out there? I thought They had taken you, you foolish child-"

"It's only morning," said Ciel defensively. He stepped forward. "Father, you shouldn't get so worried, your health-"

"To blazes with my health!" Vincent shouted back. "I tell you time and time again to respect my rules. And when you leave without telling me-"

"I went for a walk, father! Within the boundaries of the village, as you told me to!"

"I told you to stay inside-"

"It was only a walk!"

"Damn it, Ciel!"

Vincent slammed his hand down on the table, startling Ciel. It had been a long time since he had seen his father so angry, and Ciel began to feel anger of his own begin to bubble to the surface. He'd cared for Vincent alone for as long as he could remember-cooked his meals and made his medicine-and it seemed awfully ungrateful to him, that his father would choose to repay him by treating him like a child.

Vincent's expression softened. His anger seemed to fade as Ciel's began to build. "Ciel," he said quietly. "I only want to protect you."

"No you don't!" Ciel cried out suddenly. "You want to hide me!"

He knew he was probably overreacting; every parent felt uneasy on the day of the Feeding, but Vincent's overprotectiveness went beyond concern for Ciel's well-being. Instead of making Ciel feel safe it made him feel ashamed, as if his body were a vile thing to hide from innocent eyes, and it made his bones ache. It made his heart sick.

Vincent looked stunned. Ciel shook his head and spun around, heading for the door.

"Ciel!"

"Don't worry father," Ciel snapped. "I'll be back by nightfall, so you may continue your noble endeavor to protect the village from your freak of a son."

He slammed the door before his father could say another word. The village had woken up around him, and the air was filled with the braying of animals cut brutally short. Ciel ignored all of it, staring determinedly forward as he headed to the only place he could think of where he knew he'd feel welcome and at peace.

The church was, thankfully, empty. It seemed to be empty quite often these days, honestly, and Ciel could see why. His footsteps echoed around him as he walked over to the piano and sat down, and he inhaled deeply as his fingers fell on the smooth keys.

The instant he started to play he began to feel immeasurably better. Peace washed over him as he played something simple, something soothing- He wasn't nearly as good a piano player as Edward, and his song lacked any real cohesiveness, but it was enough for right then. Music judged no one.

He didn't hear the door open or the sound of footsteps until they were right beside him. He looked up to see Edward standing over him, and he immediately drew back his hands, embarrassed.

"I'm sorry," he said quickly, suddenly anxious. "I didn't realize you had lessons today..."

"They don't start for another few minutes," Edward assured him. Ciel made to get up off the piano bench, but Edward gently eased him back down with two large hands on his shoulders.

"Why don't you play me a song?" he asked, sitting beside Ciel on the bench.

Ciel blushed and looked away. "It won't be any good," he warned. "But if you insist."

He started playing a well-known hymn, and was only a third of the way through it before he tripped over a few of the notes. The verse was admittedly quite difficult-but Ciel had seen Edward play it flawlessly during mass, and to try it once more only to flub it again was too embarrassing for him to handle.

"I'm sorry," he lamented, drawing back his hands. "I'm a terrible pianist..."

Ciel expected Edward to argue with him, or perhaps tease him-

But instead the older man reached for Ciel's hands, gently lifting them and placing them back on the keys. Doing so made Edward's left arm wrap around Ciel's upper back, and Ciel felt his heart begin to race wildly.

Edward positioned his fingers and guided him through the verse. Ciel realized he ought to try it himself once it was done, but his mind had gone curiously blank- And Edward still hadn't let go of his hands.

Deceptively gentle fingers slipped under his chin, lifting his head. Ciel was overwhelmed; the argument with his father was still fresh in his mind, and he

couldn't keep up as Edward's arm tugged him closer so Ciel was practically sitting in his lap.

The kiss was happening before Ciel even had a chance to react to the sudden proximity, and he was utterly still in Edward's arms, unable to even react in a way that wasn't detached, passive observance. Edward's mouth tasted like tea, he thought vaguely, then realized he wasn't sure if he even wanted to be tasting Edward's mouth at all. This was happening entirely too fast- Ciel considered pulling away, but Edward's arm was very strong, and his other hand had started feeling Ciel's body.

Wait, Ciel wanted to say. He didn't know what was happening. This was too much, too fast- He wasn't sure if he ought to try to kiss back, or do something other than just sit there, but he didn't know anything about kissing or even if he wanted to, and Edward's hand was sliding over his hip and thigh-nudging up his tunic, slipping in between his legs-

A screeching sound filled Ciel's head as his brain finally caught up with what was happening, and he shoved Edward away with all his might. He caught a glimpse of the older man's face-shocked and bewildered, surely horrified-and was loathe to think of what that meant. Panicking, Ciel all but flew across the church and was out the door before Edward could say a word.

He ran.

The ground was uneven beneath his feet and he stumbled, injuring himself more than a few times as he tore across the village, desperate to get as far away from the church as he could. He didn't go home. Home had his father in it, and every other building had people in it, and God he didn't want to be near people anymore, not now-

There was only one place he could go where he could be completely alone.

He could hear Finny cry out after him as he tore past the watchtower, muffled beneath the sound of twigs snapping beneath his feet and the roar of wind in his ears. The weather was taking a harsh turn, stirring branches overhead and churning the creek into froth, and Ciel could feel raindrops stinging his face as he ran and ran and ran. He didn't stop until his lungs burned, and for a moment he couldn't decide if he were out of breath from running or crying.

Sobs tore from his throat as he collapsed near the the creek bed, curling into a fetal ball as rain cascaded around him. A large branch draped with thick vines seemed to reach out and shield him, and he huddled beneath it as he cried harder than he could have ever remembered crying.

When he finally calmed down he realized he had no idea what time it was. The storm continued to rage around him, and Ciel couldn't recognize where he was anymore. Panic closed around his heart and he pushed himself to his feet, eyes desperately searching for the path back to the village.

The clouds were thick and dark with rain, and Ciel had no idea whether night had fallen- He prayed that it hadn't, and focused on trying to get back to the perimeter. He'd explain to Finny what happened and they'd go somewhere safe and dry together, someplace warm where they could hide, and then Ciel could apologize to his father and to Edward and work everything out, make everything normal again-

A branch caught his leg and he shrieked, stumbling forward into the mud. Terrified sobs tore through his throat as he tried to find purchase, to pull himself up- His hands flew about the filthy ground, searching through the darkness for something solid to grab onto, and one of them landed on something warm and soft.

An arm.

Horrified, Ciel moved closer and realized the arm belonged to Finny. His friend was prone on the filthy ground, covered in dirt and blood, struggling to stay conscious. Ciel moved to his side, frantically trying to locate the source of the bleeding and stop it- But then Finny's hand darted up and seized him by the wrist, gripping it painfully.

"Run," he gasped, struggling for breath. Ciel could hardly hear him over the sound of the rain, so he leaned closer. Finny's voice was raspy but urgent, begging.

"It's Them. Ciel. Run-"

Ciel barely had time to react when another hand grabbed hold of him, closing around the hood of his tunic from behind and yanking him bodily to his feet. Terrified screams erupted from Ciel's throat and he fought as hard as he could, struggling and kicking as he was hauled back against a firm chest- A hand clapped over his mouth, silencing him, and Ciel could only watch in horror as dark figures surrounded Finny's prone form on the forest floor.

They closed in on him like coyotes around a fallen deer, crouched down, and suddenly Ciel could hear tearing over the sound of the rain, ripping flesh, chewing-

He could no longer bear it. His eyes rolled back and he slumped against the chest of his captor in a dead faint.

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><p><strong>And that is that. What did you think? Ciel with...lady parts? Yes, it's just a weird little kink I have so I decided to write it in, if it bothers you, sorry bout' it. Review? <strong>


	2. Bloodletting

**This chapter contains GRAPHIC NON-CON. If you'd rather skip it, you can scroll down to about halfway through. You'll get the gist of it.**

**Also, Ciel IS a boy.**

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><p>The scent of straw flooded Ciel's nostrils, making him sneeze. He jerked upward, legs sliding through dirt and dust as he looked around frantically. His head ached, and there was dried blood caked around his lip and nose. His eyes stung with tears.<p>

What had happened? He struggled to fill in the blanks in his mind, and it was like a sickness rising up from his stomach, sticking in his throat-Them. They'd found them outside the village, They'd killed Finny, They'd eaten-

Ciel stifled a sob, sniffing as he took in his surroundings. He was in what looked like the inside of a barn, stuffy from thick wooden walls and clumps of straw and a single lamp that filled the space with ugly yellow-brown light. It smelled terrible, like death- Ciel's eyes fell on a dark corner of the room as his sight adjusted, and he sucked in a gasp and nearly gagged as a carcass came into view.

It had to be a cow or something, all clumps of meat and leathery skin- He had no fear of dead flesh from his own spells, but this was different. It was so close. His eyes kept frantically searching, and he could see bones around it, and they couldn't have all been the bones of livestock, some looked all too close to human-

Panicking, he scrambled to his feet and tried the door, only to find it firmly locked. He struggled with it until he caught the sound of voices in the distance-

It's Them, he realized, and he knew he ought to be silent, to try and think of something, a spell perhaps, but the smell- He had to get away from it. The room was small, dark, closing around him.

Then he heard footsteps.

Fear dropped solid and icy in the pit of his stomach. As the footsteps drew closer he could hear muffled voices as well-the voices of men, low and rumbling, and he caught the word 'virgin' several times before a voice that was startling close by said, "This one is mine."

The door opened suddenly and Ciel all but sprung away. His feet slipped in the straw on the ground as he backed away as far as he could, and he threw out a hand to steady himself on a nearby table as he stumbled. His hand brushed cold metal and he looked down- Tools. A saw was there, and a hammer, and several wicked-looking instruments that were stained brown with old blood- He let out a terrified sob, jerking his hand back as if he'd been burned.

His eyes moved to the doorway, and fell on the man that stood framed in it.

Something about him was vaguely familiar, but Ciel couldn't place it, nor could his frantic mind dwell upon it for more than a second. All he saw was a stranger- A man with pale skin and a lanky body, sharp and perfect features in a way that made Ciel think of a god, with wild black hair and eyes that had been clearly smudged around the edges with charcoal. He wore no shirt, and Ciel could see vicious-looking scars and crudely drawn tattoos all over chest. Everything about him hearkened to something utterly removed from civilization, something primal, something lawless.

Ciel had backed away until he was pressed against the wall. The man-the vampyr-took a step toward him and Ciel's hand darted down, seizing one of the metal instruments and brandishing it in front of him.

"Don't come any closer!" he cried, his voice cracking. He thought of Finny, of what those vile creatures did to him, and anger swooped in to tangle up with the horror and grief.

The vampyr's mouth curled into a smile. He seemed to find genuine amusement in Ciel's defiance, but his body seemed to pulse with wild energy beneath the marred skin. The anger that had risen in Ciel was cowering under the sheer terror that was fast consuming him.

"Are you going to cut me, virgin?" the vampyr said, and Ciel couldn't help but notice the smooth, deep voice.

"I will if you come near me," Ciel countered, and hated how his voice cracked with fear. Even with his witchcraft, he was powerless; his magic was for healing, not for harm. He didn't even think he could use the vile sharp thing in his hands, even if he really had to.

The vampyr took a step forward, and Ciel shrieked, brandishing the weapon. "Get back! Get back, you horrid beast-"

As quickly as Ciel could take a breath the vampyr moved, and was suddenly very solidly in front of him. He had no time to process how that could have happened- The instrument was plucked from his hand and thrown across the room, and Ciel could feel the monster's hot breath against his neck. He registered moments later that his hands were empty-that they were all he had left.

So he fought. He threw out his hands, trying to hit the vampyr, scratch him, anything, and with every strike it sank in more and more that he was fighting for his life. As easily as he had disarmed Ciel, however, the vampyr seized both of the boy's wrists in a grip that seemed to saw them down to the bone, holding him fast.

Up close, Ciel could see the vampyr's eyes. They were red, bright and unnatural, surrounded by a ring of black. And they were looking at him with unmistakable hunger.

_I'm going to die._ The knowledge spread through him like that dropping, strangely cold feeling that came right before passing out, and for a moment he thought he might. A second later he wished he would.

"Please don't kill me," he whispered, dizzy with fear.

Wickedly, horribly, the vampyr grinned. "Oh no, you sweet thing," he all but purred. "I'm not going to kill you." And with that unimaginable strength he pushed Ciel up against the table, pressing his hips against him. Ciel felt a hardness there, and nearly swooned with the sick wave of horror that washed over him anew as the vampyr shoved him onto his back.

It was a nightmare. It had to be. For a moment Ciel was absolutely convinced that it was, that he'd wake to his father gently shaking him, to the soft sunlight pouring through their window and the smell of brewing tea- But then the vampyr was prying at the clingy set of trousers he wore, tugging crudely at the edge of his soaked tunic, and Ciel let out a ragged scream and kicked as hard as he could. He jerked away from the vampire's hand, throwing back his own to seize the first tool he could reach- He stabbed it forward, burying the blade deep into the vampyr's left cheek.

Blood spurted crudely all over Ciel's hand and he recoiled, disgusted. The vampyr let out a howl of pain, and backhanded Ciel so hard across the face that it sent him rolling off the table to the ground below. Groaning, Ciel flopped onto his belly and feebly started to crawl toward the door, even as his vision blurred and swam before him. He could barely make it a few inches before his ankle was seized in the flesh-cutting grip that had bruised his wrists before, and he shrieked as he was dragged back across the room and back into the vampyr's clutches.

"No," Ciel groaned, reeling as he was pushed onto his back. Blood from the vampyr's wound splashed over his face and he sobbed pitifully, trying to squirm away as the vampyr began cutting at his clothes with same blade Ciel had stabbed him with. "No... Please-"

Strangely, the vampyr stopped. It took Ciel a moment to realize it wasn't because of his pleas; the vampyr had cut his clothes and was now pushing apart his legs, and undoubtedly puzzling over what he found there.

"Huh," he heard the vampyr say in such a cavalier fashion that Ciel almost let out a hysterical laugh.

Instead, he used the momentary distraction to kick out as hard as he could and twist away from the vampyr's grasp. He managed to crawl an inch away, and reached out feebly to try and grab one of the fallen tools. A saw lay just out of reach; if he could just stretch his arm a little farther…

"No!" he screamed as he was seized and dragged back again. The vampyr grabbed his legs and wrenched them apart, and Ciel retaliated, scratching and hitting with all his might. Before then he'd been terrified of death- Now, he felt like he'd rather be dead than be raped by this animal.

"Let me go-" He clawed at the vampyr's face, aiming for his eyes. His fingernail managed to scrape underneath one of them, and heard the vampyr growl before his hair was suddenly seized in a vise-like grip and his head was slammed brutally against the ground.

The blow made Ciel's entire world spin. For a moment, everything was like black sand dotting his vision, opening and closing as he went in and out of consciousness. Sticky blood caked in his hair, slick on his forehead and clumped down the side of his face, and he let out a ragged, pitiful moan. His fingers opened and closed on the floor beside him, and he stared at them, curiously numb.

The vampyr maneuvered his now-limp body, turning him so he was flat on his back, and Ciel stared at the swimming spots on the ceiling as his captor moved between his legs. There was a terrible moment of silence, a mockery of peace, and then it happened.

There was no preparation, no warning. The vampyr pushed inside him with brutal force, and Ciel was dragged forcibly from where he'd settled into listless acceptance, forced to acutely endure the sudden violation of his body. It was pain like he'd never imagined, like a red hot fire-iron jostling up his insides, and he let out a howl of agony as the vampyr pinned down his wrists and started to move.

For a moment Ciel tried to struggle, tried to twist away away away, but any effort to escape just made everything hurt more.

The vampyr thrust inside him over and over, pushing his too-thick length where Ciel had never even touched himself before, even as the tight opening seemed to try to force him back out. The vampyr just thrust in harder, faster, and then something happened-something tore. Ciel could feel it, stretching and breaking and oh God it hurt, it hurt so badly, he was going to break he was going to split open-

"G-god, stop," Ciel sobbed. "Please stop-"

A filthy hand released Ciel's wrist and instead darted down to clap over his mouth, muffling his cries. Ciel could only stare up in horrified silence at the vampyr's face, which had become nothing short of demonic. The scent of Ciel's virgin blood seemed to drive the creature on top of him into a frenzy; his eyes darkened until they were almost entirely black, and his teeth-already pointed, already vicious-looking-grew longer and sharper. Ciel was allowed only a split second of dread before the vampyr's head darted down and those teeth were suddenly buried in the flesh of his neck.

The vampire's fingers had slipped a little from around Ciel's mouth, so his agonized wail could pierce the stagnant air around them. The pain of the bite was so severe that Ciel suddenly longed for the vampyr's teeth to sink in just a little bit more, tear through his jugular, end it.

But it didn't end. Ciel was still stubbornly alive, even as the vampyr finished inside him, teeth still firmly fastened to the side of his neck. When the vampyr finally drew away Ciel could still feel the weight of him, pushing him down somewhere from which he could never climb back up. In just a few short moments, he had gone from something pure and alive, breathing and hopeful, to a twisted bloody miserable thing with no will to live.

Things were still, quiet. Ciel parted his lips, felt them crack. Tears streaked his face. There was blood everywhere. His blood.

"K-kill." The word was the tail end of a breath, agonizing. He tried again. "Kill me. Kill...me."

The vampyr was standing, pulling on his trousers, licking the remains of Ciel's blood from his lips. The air about him was suddenly considerably less feral, but Ciel couldn't sense the change. He was rapidly losing consciousness-limp, half-naked and utterly at the vampyr's disposal.

"No," he heard the vampyr say. "Not yet."

Ciel's eyes closed. "Please," he whispered. "Please..." He had no idea what he was begging for anymore. Maybe he was begging for his father's forgiveness.

_I'm sorry, Father. You were only trying to protect me. I'll never leave again. Now let's go inside, and I'll make dinner..._

He heard footsteps and felt a heavy blanket draped over his prone form, and then he faded away.

There was a terrible moment right after Ciel woke up when he was certain he'd find himself in his own bed-up with the sunrise, as usual, ready to begin the day and greet whatever adventures awaited. Then the pain returned, slowly spreading through every inch of his body, and he let out a pitiful sob as the memories came rushing back. He kept his eyes stubbornly closed, as if doing so would keep reality from sinking in, but it was like a poison slithering through his veins.

He could feel the vampyr on top of him, thrusting inside, could feel his breath, could see his horrible red eyes wide and unblinking and wild with animalistic pleasure-

Ciel forced his eyes open and could see sunlight slipping through the cracks in the barn walls, the tiny window near the ceiling. Slowly he sat up and stifled a cry-pain burned ruthlessly his body, between his thighs, which were sticky with blood. He was at once confused and terrified; what had that creature done to him? Had he hurt him irreparably? Ciel had scarcely any idea what things were supposed to be like down there, but he knew they weren't supposed to feel so broken.

He had no time to think about it, nor time to nurse the wound that still burned on the side of his neck (the vampyr's teeth had tore into it, feasting, like a ravenous dog)- There was a loud banging noise as the door to the barn swung open, and Ciel shrank, determined to become as small as possible. Terror gripped and pulled him in every direction, and he could only stare with eyes like a frightened animal's as a figure approached from the distance.

It wasn't the man from the night before. A young boy stood before him with long, tangled blonde hair and wild blue eyes, carrying a basket and a bucket of water. His dirty, white tunic was tattered as well as his trousers that were far too large for him to the point he almost tripped in them as he walked toward him and flopped down to his knees, and Ciel couldn't help but notice how lovely the fabric of the trousers were. It was the sort of cloth a wealthy man might have once worn, but tattered and torn and covered in filth.

The boy didn't speak. He reached into the bucket and pulled out a ragged cloth, thrusting it in Ciel's direction. He recoiled automatically, but realized quickly that he simply wanted to wash him. Too sore to protest, he parted the blanket he wore and let him drag the wet cloth over his aching, ruined body.

He had to admit it felt good to be cleansed of all the blood and grime, but the pain was unbearable when he got to the wound on his throat. Crying out, he shoved him away and shrank as close to the wall as he could, crying softly as he clutched at the torn flesh of his neck. The boy just knelt there and stared at him, his eyes piercing, eerily silent.

Then he left, and Ciel was alone again.

He drifted. Hours passed, or maybe days; he couldn't be sure. At one point he searched through the basket the boy had brought and found food-an apple, and a piece of bread so rotted and crusted with mold that he dropped it immediately after picking it up. He didn't have much of an appetite after that, but he forced the apple down anyway; it was bitter and slightly mushy, but it went down to sit like a heavy ball in the pit of his stomach.

Some time later the door opened again. Once more Ciel shrank against the wall, heart heavy with dread, and he let out a strangled gasp as he saw two men approaching. One was tall and broad, statue-like with his calm demeanor and impossibly perfect hair-and the other was exactly who he'd dreaded it would be.

Though he looked different in the light, it was unmistakably the vampyr from the night before. Gone, though, was his stripped-down, wild appearance; he wore a loose-fitting black shirt that hid all the scars and markings, and his hair had been tamed somehow, swept behind his ears, with only a few pieces falling into his face. His more civilized demeanor, however, did nothing to quell Ciel's terror.

"Stay away!" Ciel shrieked, clutching his throat and scrambling back as far back as he could.

The statue-like man looked over at the other vampyr as if waiting for cues. His companion sighed and moved closer, looking mildly irritated.

"I won't hurt you," he said tersely, and reached out a hand. "Just come here-"

"To hell with you!" Ciel cried, and flung the empty basket in the vampyr's direction.

He dodged it easily, and it flew across the barn to land with a clatter near the door. The other man watched its descent, looking mildly impressed.

The vampyr from last night was quiet for a moment, then gestured to the lump of bread on the ground. "We brought you human food," he said almost defensively.

"Why didn't you eat it?"

That just got the bread thrown at him as well. "To hell with your rotten food!" Ciel screamed, his shrill voice bouncing off the walls of the barn.

The other vampyr sighed. "I will take him. He'll sooner claw your eyes out than let you touch him, Sebastian."

With a sigh from one of the vampyrs-Sebastian-he shrugged before tossing a wad of fabric in Ciel's direction. Confused, Ciel caught it and unfolded it. It was a simple tunic, not unlike the one Ciel had worn before, but there weren't any trousers with it. He frowned.

Sebastian turned and left, leaving Ciel alone with the other vampyr, who immediately advanced upon him. Instantly Ciel shrank away in revulsion, still sick from the memories that Sebastian's presence had stirred up within him.

"I'm not going anywhere with you," he said vehemently.

The man merely shrugged.

"You'd rather stay here in the barn then?" he said nonchalantly. "So be it."

That made Ciel fall silent for the moment, eyes wet with frustrated tears. He looked down at the tunic in his arms and made a scoffing sound.

"There isn't anything for me to wear underneath," he said sharply, turning pink.

"That's how Sebastian wanted it," said the man with a smirk. "I'm Claude, by the way."

"I don't care who you are," Ciel snapped, his cheeks burning. "Turn around so I can get dressed."

Claude rolled his eyes but complied. Ciel fought not to cry out as he moved his aching body, unwilling to let on how hurt he still was, though the others undoubtedly already knew. They didn't care, though, did they? They were incapable of feeling, as the vampyr Sebastian had proven so brutally the night before.

Ciel felt hollow as he tugged the flimsy tunic over his head, and kept the hood up to maintain some illusion of modesty as the fabric fell just past the middle of his thighs.

Once Ciel was dressed Claude wasted no time in hefting him up off the floor into his arms, cradling him like a child. Ciel let out an indignant squeak and tried to keep himself as covered as possible, eyes burning with humiliated tears. He had no choice but to let the vampyr carry him out of the barn-but despite his reluctance, he was eager to leave that hellish place behind.

The smell of fresh air was like the first breath of life, and Ciel inhaled deeply as they stepped outside, blinking rapidly as his eyes adjusted to the light. What greeted them had once been a town, and was now broken down into crumbled pieces like a cemetery-splintered wooden monoliths that had once been houses, lovingly built and maintained, now scavenged like carcasses.

People-vampyrs-were all around, quiet as they stared at the human in Claude's arms. Ciel could see the blonde haired boy from before crouching near the well, staring at him with is wild blue eyes as she devoured a dead bird like a hungry cat. His mouth was smeared with blood and feathers, and Ciel looked away in disgust, fixing his eyes determinedly forward at their destination.

The building had once been an inn, and looked to be in considerably better shape than the houses around it. Claude carried Ciel through the double doors and up a rickety staircase, and Ciel's nostrils were suddenly filled with the scent of burning wood and ash. They entered a dimly lit room with a fireplace, which was alight with dancing flames that seemed curiously merry despite the bleak atmosphere that permeated the place. Ciel was utterly bewildered as he found himself lowered into a bed with considerable care, laid upon moth-eaten sheets and a dilapidated mattress.

His sore muscles were screaming, but he found the bed to be surprisingly soft. It was certainly a far cry from the filthy floor of the barn, and Ciel couldn't imagine what he could have done to warrant such a drastic change. Claude turned and walked away before he had a chance to ask, and he was left alone again.

He'd been certain he'd be left to his own devices, but then the door opened again and in walked Sebastian. Immediately Ciel cringed away from him, fearing the worst, but Sebastian made no attempt to attack him or touch him at all. Instead, he moved to sit on the chair near the fire, several feet away from the bed. There was silence, and Ciel suddenly couldn't take it anymore.

"What do you want?" he blurted out. "Why did you bring me here?"

"To the inn?" Sebastian replied lightly. "I assumed it would be more comfortable for you than the barn. Perhaps I was wrong?"

"Of course not," Ciel snapped, venomous. "You'll have to pardon my confusion on the matter. You didn't seem to care much for my comfort last night, after all."

Something flashed in Sebastian's eyes that looked remarkably like guilt, and Ciel

felt his confusion grow. The vampyr stood and began pacing the room, looking as though he was choosing his words very carefully. Ciel watched him impatiently, fingers curling around the sheets so tightly it hurt.

"I assume you know why we took you?" said Sebastian finally, stopping in front of the fire with his hands crossed behind his back. Ciel's lips tightened, and then he nodded.

"Tell me."

"I violated the covenant," Ciel said tensely. "I was out after hours on the night of the feeding."

"Right," said Sebastian, nodding, and he started pacing again. Ciel felt tendrils of fear curl around his heart, cold and unforgiving.

"Are you going to kill me?" he said in a hushed voice.

Sebastian paused and looked at him. "No."

"Why not?"

Ciel flinched as Sebastian turned and walked toward him, stopping just short of the bed and looking down at him curiously.

"You begged for death last night," said Sebastian lightly. "Do you still wish for it?"

"What you did to me was unspeakable," said Ciel coldly, eyes narrowing.

"That isn't an answer."

Ciel found himself filled with the desire to hit Sebastian as hard as he could, but he didn't dare act on it. Instead, he fixed the vampyr with a murderous look.

"No," he said finally, his voice faltering. "I don't want to die. I want to go home."

"That isn't an option," said Sebastian, turning away from him at last. Ciel made a frustrated sound.

"What, then?" he cried. "You wish to keep me here as your entertainment, then? Something to-to use whenever you will, then cast aside when you grow bored with me?"

Sebastian seemed to think for a moment, and his calm demeanor was driving Ciel to insanity. Ciel wanted to scream, to rip something apart, destroy something- He wanted all the world to know the pain he felt, wanted everyone else to feel it too, just so he could rid himself of some of it.

Instead, he just stared at Sebastian as the other man moved to sit in the chair again. His hands folded in his lap, his expression pensive, and he was unrecognizable as the monster who had attacked Ciel so brutally the night before.

He looked human.

"What do you know of vampyrs, Ciel?" he asked finally.

Ciel frowned, puzzled. "You are monsters," he said frankly. "You feast upon the living, and you have no remorse. You feel nothing. Everything I've read about you is true."

"It is," said Sebastian. "To an extent. Do I perhaps seem different to you?"

"That remains to be seen," said Ciel coldly.

Sebastian sighed. "This is because nightfall brings a change in us," he explained carefully. "We become feral, and every inch the monsters you've read about in your legends. We surrender to our base urges, you see, and-"

"Is that supposed to be some sort of excuse?" Ciel cried, indignant. "Do you have any idea what you took from me?"

"I took your virginity," said Sebastian plainly. "Virgin blood is like ambrosia to us. It would have driven any of us into a frenzy."

"I don't forgive you," said Ciel abruptly, and the disgust he felt at Sebastian's words was written all over his face. "I will never forgive you."

For a moment, Sebastian almost looked offended. Then he stood, shrugging, his expression aloof. "Very well," he sighed. "It is a good thing, then, that I do not desire your forgiveness."

"You're a pig," Ciel snapped.

"And you are at my mercy," said Sebastian, and he was suddenly very close. Ciel gasped and positively shrank, trembling as memories from the night before rushed back to him. Sebastian seemed to notice this, smirking slightly as he observed Ciel's shivering form.

"That shirt looks lovely on you," he remarked. "I knew it would."

"What do you want?" Ciel whispered. "Please just tell me what you want from me."

Sebastian moved away then, walking back toward the fireplace. There were photographs on the mantle, and he reached out to straighten them idly. "I will take you into the city," he answered at last. "I have business there, and you are to accompany me."

"Why?" Ciel demanded, ignoring the way his heart lifted at the mention of the city.

A dark look took over Sebastian's face. "Myself and my fellow villagers- You think we're savage, yes? Animals?"

Ciel's eyes flashed. "Yes."

"Than you know nothing of the vampyrs in the city," said Sebastian, dragging a hand through his hair.

"Their leader will not even consider granting us an audience unless we present him with an offering."

What little excitement Ciel had about going to the city was instantly crushed. His blood ran cold. "And that's me," he said in a flat voice. "I'm the offering."

"That's right," said Sebastian, and turned with a devilish smirk. Ciel wanted to tear it off his face.

His business concluded, the leader of the vampyrs crossed the room, heading for the door. Before he left, though, he turned to give Ciel one last pointed look.

"Whatever you do," he warned, "do not go outdoors after dark. You saw what we become when night falls. What I become."

"Since when do you have any concern for me?" Ciel said bitterly.

"I don't," Sebastian insisted. "As our offering, it would do us well for you to be in one piece. I doubt you'd rather be in several, so heed my warning if you know what's good for you."

With that he went through the door, leaving Ciel alone and in tears, more desperately confused than ever before.

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><p><strong>Review? It gives me life.<strong>


	3. Sacrificing

**No serious warnings in this chapter except a little bit a violence, and of course language.**

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><p>The fear in Ciel's heart eventually slept, and what was left was boredom-horrible, itching, aching boredom. He had nothing to do but lie in bed and stare at the wall, hoping that the next time he closed his eyes he'd open them to see his bedroom. It made his heart sick to think of his father and the others worrying about him, but it was all he had to dwell on. The pillow beneath his head was damp with his tears, and he drifted in and out of sleep, slowly willing the pain away.<p>

Night fell, and Ciel grew restless. The pain in his legs had abated enough to walk slowly and carefully, and with a swell of reckless courage he decided to at last leave his room and explore the inn beyond. It was empty and hollow, so the noises from outside could clearly be heard through its thin walls. Ciel could hear shouting from outside, and could see orange light from a bonfire trickle through the cracks in the boarded-up windows.

He wandered closer, listening, and gasped as something heavy hit the outside wall off the inn. What was going on? He could hear cheers mixed in with the shouts, the sound of breaking glass and skin slapping brutally against skin, and his curiosity was driving him mad.

His eyes darted about until they settled on the back wall of the inn. The windows had all been boarded up, but the back one had a gap big enough for him to slip through. He hoisted himself up carefully onto one of the barrels below the window and wormed his way through the hole headfirst, careful not to make too much noise. Unfortunately the fall was steeper than he'd anticipated, and he let out a startled yelp as he landed headfirst on the cold, muddy ground outside.

Fearfully he looked around- No one had heard him. He pushed himself slowly to his feet, wincing as his hands stung from breaking his fall. His feet pressed into soft mud as he walked around the edge of the inn, pressing close to the side of it as he peered around at the scene before him in the town square. His jaw dropped.

The vampyrs were tightly gathered around a roaring bonfire, whooping and shouting as a vicious fight raged before them. Ciel could see that one of the fighters was Claude-eyes wild and teeth bared, bare chest glistening in the firelight as he stood back and grinned at his fallen opponent, a woman with lavender hair and darker skin streaked with dirt and blood. Claude licked at a gash near his lip as he stretched his neck muscles, watching as the woman struggled to get to his feet from where she'd been face-down in the mud.

"Come," Claude goaded loudly. "You aren't done yet- Come at me! Or has your soft heart accepted defeat?"

The woman growled from her position near the ground, her expression murderous. Then with the loping grace of a wild animal she lashed out, grabbing Claude around the midsection and forcing him down into the mud. The surrounding vampyrs cheered and egged her on-all except for the wild-eyed boy from before, who was wringing his hands and watching Claude's and the woman anxiously.

In a savage display the two fought, beating and tearing into one another like a pair of rabid wolves. Ciel's stomach turned as he watched-but strangely, he found himself far more disgusted by the recreational aspect of it all than by the violence itself. Was this their idea of entertainment?

The woman was putting up a hell of a fight, pinning Claude down in the mud and scratching deeply into his flesh. As she pulled back his hand to deliver an open-handed slap, however, Claude managed to grab her and throw her off- Ciel saw the wild-eyed boy shriek and clutch at his face as Claude flung the woman ruthlessly to the ground, pinning her with one foot while the other delivered a series of punishing kicks to her abdomen. The woman gasped for breath and curled in on herself, rolling onto her side, and after three seconds of agonized struggling she finally went still.

Grinning savagely, Claude let out a roar of victory and raised his arms as the spectators around him screeched with sadistic glee. Ciel saw the wild-eyed boy break from the crowd and drop to his knees in the mud, crawling forward to gather the fallen vampyr into his arms. He cooed and stroked her coarse hair as the rest of the vampyrs gathered around Claude to congratulate him, pressing around him adoringly. Two of them wrestled through to present Claude with what Ciel was appalled to see was the severed head of a deer. Claude tore a chunk off of it with his teeth and raised the mutilated head high in the air, letting out another victorious cry.

Ciel had seen enough. He tore his eyes away and turned around-

-only to come face-to-face with Sebastian.

The leader of the vampyrs seized him roughly by the wrists and effortlessly pinned him against the wall of the inn. Ciel's veins went ice-cold and taut with utter terror as Sebastian closed in, his red eyes staring him down like a predator sizing up its prey, following every drop of cold sweat that slid down Ciel's brow.

"I've got you, little robin," Sebastian murmured.

"I'm sorry," said Ciel in a tiny voice. "I'm so sorry. Please don't-"

Before he could say another word Sebastian's head descended, and once more sank his fangs deep into the flesh of Ciel's neck. Ciel howled in agony as he was fed upon, scratching helplessly at the wall behind him, tearing up strips of old paint and splinters of wood that cut deep into his fingertips. It wasn't long before he passed out cold, and his body slid sideways down the wall before Sebastian held out an arm to catch him.

Sebastian stared down at the pitiful creature in his arms-small and beautiful and so completely breakable-then hefted him up and carried him back inside.

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><p><em>The little boy walked up the hill, a basket of flowers over his arm. He knew he'd wandered too far away from the house, but the flowers mother loved best grew here, and he wanted very much to make her happy. His little legs grew tired, however, so he made his way back through the old cemetery, where a thick layer of fog had settled.<em>

_He had to stop to take a break. In doing so he heard a strange noise-a dog in pain. Curious, he followed the sound to the other side of a mausoleum, and found a wild dog lying there. Was it a wolf? A coyote? He wasn't sure, but it looked like it was starving._

_The little boy reached into his basket and somehow found a piece of raw meat that had not been there before. He held it out for the dog and watched as it weakly accepted the offering. It ate as if it had never eaten before, as if nothing had ever tasted so good._

_The dog looked up at him with big brown eyes, and though dogs couldn't talk, the little boy knew it meant 'thank you'._

_The little boy smiled._

* * *

><p>Sunlight fell on Ciel's face, and he slowly opened his eyes to find himself back in bed-and not alone.<p>

A young woman with bright red hair stood beside him, cutting up what looked like a pear into quarters, and he blinked up at her bemusedly. His eyes wandered over her clothes, which were tattered and distinctly wench-like; she wore a red corset that left little to the imagination, and Ciel could see scars very much like the ones Sebastian had, covering the upper part of her pale, round breasts. She had the distinct air of someone who ought not to be trifled with, and Ciel was quiet for a few moments before he decided to speak.

"Who are you?" he croaked, his hand falling to cover the stinging bite marks on his neck.

"Angelina," the woman replied. "Everyone calls me Red, so you're quite better off using that. Here, eat this." She pushed a quarter of pear into his hand.

Ciel still felt nauseated from loss of blood, but he forced the food down anyway. It was certainly much better than anything else he'd been fed in this place.

"I assumed you'd take better to that than to age-old bread," Red said dryly as she continued cutting. "Sebastian and the others haven't been human for a long time. They've forgotten what it's like."

"And you haven't?" said Ciel, slowly sitting up as he chewed the pear. It wasn't quite ripe, but it was a far cry from the moldy bread and the mushy apples from before.

"I was human until quite recently," Red explained simply. She was quiet after that, and Ciel realized suddenly why her scars looked so much fresher than Sebastian's.

Suddenly the door opened, and in walked the boy with the wild eyes, his arms clamped around what looked like a bundle of red cloth. He looked terribly young, Ciel thought distantly, and wondered why all the vampyrs he'd met seemed as though they were little more than teenagers.

Red's lip curled at the sight of him. "Your legs are as slow as your head, Alois," she scoffed. "Drop those there. The human needs to eat before he can sew anything."

"Sew?" Ciel's brow furrowed.

"Did you expect we'd leave you here lying in bed all day, completely useless?" Red drawled, rolling her eyes. "You're to sew and repair those cloaks. The party taking you to the city is to wear them, as part of the offering."

Ciel dropped the pear he was holding, no longer hungry. "I refuse," he said darkly. "I'll not be a part of-of whatever you're planning, any of you."

"Fine," said Red, utterly apathetic to Ciel's confusion and anger. "Lie around and be useless, then, and go mad from boredom. We frankly couldn't care less about the state your head is in, and neither will the city leader. Isn't that right, Alois?"

Alois just looked vaguely frightened, wringing his hands anxiously. Red rolled her eyes again and ushered him out of the room.

"Go on and tend to Hannah," she told him, and it occurred to Ciel that she must have been talking about the woman with lavender hair. Ciel thought about the fight from the night before, what a bloody and vile display it had been-and then what had followed, the look in Sebastian's eyes as he trapped Ciel yet again, feasted upon him-

_'I've got you, little robin.'_

Ciel's eyes wandered down to the pear on the table beside him, at the knife that rested nearby. It was so close, and yet Ciel couldn't imagine it serving as much of a weapon against the vampyrs. His mind wandered to darker places, places he'd undoubtedly return to when he was left alone again that night, but for the moment he tore his eyes away and looked instead at the pear.

An idea spread through his mind, blossoming like a flower, and adrenaline began to trickle through him and shake his nerves awake.

"Do you know of any other plants that grow in this area?" he asked Red suddenly, who looked vaguely unimpressed as plucked the knife from the table and tossed it back into her basket. "Nettles, in particular?"

"I suppose," she drawled. "Why?"

"I'm in pain," said Ciel quickly. "I won't be able to do any work for you if I cannot heal."

"And nettles will help with that?" Red replied skeptically. She didn't appear to know much about herbs, though, so she just shrugged. "I'll fetch some, then, and bring them back with your needle and thread. But don't expect me to keep running errands for you."

"I won't," Ciel assured her. His excitement grew, but he kept it carefully under wraps as Red left and returned minutes later with the nettles. He waited until she and the other vampyrs had cleared the inn completely, and then he began to work.

It was difficult to do a proper spell with so few ingredients, but Ciel had managed with less before. He knelt before the fireplace, stoking the flames until they were spreading their wild light over the walls and dancing like a chorus before him. At his knees lay the nettles and the pear seeds, resting in the soft bed of ash before the fire, and using the fire poker he began draw gracefully curved shapes and symbols.

With a small stone he'd found downstairs he began to mash up the nettles and seeds, pressing them deep into the bed of ash. His heart pounded all the while; he'd never attempted a spell like this before, and the fact that it came close to violating the laws of his kind was the least of his problems. Nonetheless he lost himself in it, murmuring words as memories wove in and out of his mind, sweet and fleeting. He continued grinding up the plants until they made a crumbly paste, then wove the ash around it, drawing a circle with the poker in one swift, fluid movement.

It was done. He opened his eyes and reached over to grab the small bag Red had given him earlier, dumping out the sewing supplies within so he could fill it instead with the enchanted ash. He could only fit a few handfuls, and he prayed it would be enough.

He took a deep breath, screwing up his courage. It was time to get out of here.

It was late afternoon when Ciel decided to put his plan into action. His heart hummed relentlessly in his chest as he slipped down the stairs of the inn, crossing the foyer to peer out the front window. The vampyrs outside were mostly scattered, forming clusters about the village, and Ciel studied their movements carefully. Once he was sure he wouldn't be spotted he moved to the window he'd used the night before, hefting himself up and slipping out onto the muddy ground outside. He pulled himself to his feet, and as he circled the inn he kept his hand inside the pouch, fingers closing around a handful of the ash inside.

He was certain that once he cleared the town square it would be a straight shot into the woods, and he wouldn't have to use the enchanted ash at all. As he waded through the mud outside the inn, though, his foot sank ankle-deep into a wallow-creating a loud squelching noise that would have been easily heard by human ears, let alone vampyr ones.

Sure enough, the cluster of vampyrs near the well spotted him immediately. Ciel cursed struggled to yank his foot free from the mud as they splashed toward him, and sprang free just in time to fling a handful of ash in their direction. It instantly exploded in a cloud of thick black smoke, utterly obscuring the area around the well, engulfing the vampyrs. Ciel turned and ran and didn't dare look behind him, but he could hear the vampyrs crying out in pain as their noses and eyes were flooded with the foul-smelling, substance he'd created.

Now that he was spotted Ciel had no choice but to run as fast as he could. As he made his way toward the woods he heard pursuers from all sides-he kept on flinging the ash, creating a trail of opaque smoke behind him, until a cloud had formed so dense and sprawling that he could slip past the forest limits unnoticed.

He didn't stop. He kept running until his lungs burned and his legs threatened to buckle, and after what felt like a lifetime he fell onto his hands and knees, sobbing and gasping for breath. It took him a moment to pull himself together-and once he did, all he could hear were the muted sounds of the woods, closing around him and cradling him like they once did.

_I've lost them._

Unwilling to relax just yet, Ciel slowly pushed himself to his feet and kept walking. The sky was thick with dark clouds, and a distant roll of thunder gave way to raindrops tumbling down from above. With nothing but the flimsy tunic Sebastian had given him to wear, Ciel could only wrap his arms tightly about himself for warmth as he scaled the woods alone and with no clear knowledge of where he was going.

He walked for what felt like hours. His legs ached badly; his body had not yet recovered from the abuse of the days prior, and he feared he'd collapse if he didn't find the path to the village soon. Tears blotted his vision as he quickened his pace, stumbling on the uneven ground, cold and frightened and overwhelmed with relentless pain.

The rain blotted out most of the noise around him, but as he approached a steep incline he could have sworn he heard footsteps nearby. He froze in place, listening hard-and sure enough, twigs snapped from what sounded like only a few yards away.

Ciel sucked in a horrified gasp and started to run, flinging himself through the brambles and thickets and branches that covered the incline, tearing into his skin.

He couldn't bear to think of what the vampyrs would do to him if he were caught-of what Sebastian would do-but he was all but certain he wouldn't come out of it alive. The enchanted ashes were gone; all he had were his own two feet and mindless determination, a wing and a prayer that he'd make it back home alive, and he could only run for his life.

There was no way of knowing what direction he was running in-all he knew was that he had to get away. Blinded by rain, he threw himself forward until he found himself colliding with something warm and solid.

He let out a choked scream as he was seized and dragged against a broad chest, and he struggled with all his might, striking out with his fists and twisting violently in the stranger's grasp.

"Let me go!" he shrieked. "Let me go, let me-"

"Ciel!" he heard a familiar voice as the person holding him grabbed his wrists, stilling him. "Ciel, calm down! Good god-"

It slowly occurred to Ciel as he fought that the voice belonged to someone he knew-and sure enough, when he opened his eyes he could see Edward's rain-streaked face looking at back at him with concern.

Relief and confusion swept over him, and he didn't have time to speak before Edward pulled him forward into a crushing hug.

"Good god," Edward said again, sounding breathless. "I thought... Everyone thought..."

"I'm all right," Ciel croaked, speaking at last, and let himself reach around Edward and hug him back. "Edward."

Relief slowly spread through his body. Despite the confusion he felt about his feelings for the other man, he would always make Ciel feel safe. He'd protected Ciel ever since he was a child, when the other little boys would throw sticks and rocks at him. Edward would always chase them away, then hold Ciel until the tears stopped.

After a long time Edward pulled back again and quickly examined Ciel's face and body. His thumb traced over a cut on Ciel's cheek. "God, what have They done to you, darling?" he said in a strained voice, guilt marring his handsome features.

"Oh god, Ciel, I must apologize. My behavior that day, I- I should have asked your permission, it's no wonder you ran away, I feel completely responsible-"

"It's all right," Ciel assured him quickly, and urgently took his arm. "Listen, Edward- We must keep moving. They're out there, Edward, and They'll be after me."

"Right," said Edward, pulling himself together, and he stood so he could hoist Ciel up to his feet. "The village is back this way. Everyone has been looking for you, Ciel, your father included. We've all been worried sick about you."

"Is he alright?" Ciel asked immediately, holding onto Edward's arm for support as they turned and started to walk.

"Yes," Edward replied hastily. "Yes, he's fine." There was a pause as Edward

seemed to wrestle with something. He took a deep breath as if steeling himself.

"Listen, Ciel. I-"

He was cut off by the sound of a large branch snapping in two. The sound was muffled by the rain, but it had to have been nearby. Ciel's eyes widened in terror and he tugged hard at Edward's arm.

"Run."

Once again the forest became a blur. Ciel pushed his body harder than he'd ever had to before, and he clung to Edward as they stumbled the rest of the way down the incline. On the way down Ciel tripped and pitched forward, sliding down a few feet before Edward could reach him and pull him back up. Mud surged up and splashed all over Ciel's face, and he spat out a foul-tasting mouthful, pushing himself weakly off the ground. As he struggled to get his bearings a pair of feet stepped into his line of vision, and he could feel someone standing over him.

He looked up, blinking out the rain, and his blood turned to ice.

Sebastian.

Edward slid the rest of the way down the incline and immediately moved to shield Ciel's body with his own. "Stay away!" he shouted. "I'll not let you take him again!"

In a fraction of a second Sebastian's hands were on Edward, wrenching him away from Ciel and flinging him to the ground. Ciel screamed as Sebastian handled Edward as if he were little more than a rag doll- As soon as he landed Sebastian was on him again, yanking him up off the ground to toss him against a gathering of rocks near the mouth of the stream below. Ciel watched in horror as his friend's body collided and fell, a broken pile of limbs crumbling at the edge of the water.

Edward lifted his head, coughing. Sebastian moved toward him again and Ciel let out a strangled "No!", straightening his limbs as he tried to push himself to his feet. His body screamed with pain but he fought through it relentlessly, desperate to save his friend from almost certain death. As he tried to get closer Sebastian reached for Edward again, seizing him by the scruff of his neck and hauling him up off the ground. He held the other man at face level, examining him as if looking at a rather interesting specimen of animal.

"Look at you," Sebastian said softly, appraisingly. "Such a handsome face. Did you think you could take my little robin away from me?"

He punctuated his words by headbutting Edward with a sickening crunching sound that made Ciel's heart roll out of his chest.

"Stop!" Ciel screamed. "Leave him alone!"

Edward's head lolled listlessly to the side, his eyes unfocused as blood trickled down his forehead. Sebastian looked over at Ciel at last, still holding Edward by the collar, one hand poised to strike him. Ciel reached out a hand as if to stop him, but the blow fell, hitting Edward brutally on the side of the face-Edward's head twisted to the side, thrown by the punch, and it didn't stop there. Sebastian dropped Edward into the shallow water of the creek and kicked him around like a child might, laughing with sadistic glee at his victim's slowly dying moans of agony.

Utterly helpless, Ciel fell to his knees, clutching at his face as tears gathered in his eyes. "Stop," he sobbed. "Please, you're going to kill him..."

Sebastian looked over from where he stood ankle-deep in the water, raising an eyebrow. The rain fell in a delicate mist over his bare skin, and he peered through his wet hair at the human kneeling before him.

"Why?" he said simply. "He's weak, isn't he? All of you are. Fragile, like little dolls. Here, I'll prove it." He waded over to where Edward lay writing in the shallow water and seized him by the arm. Ciel barely had time to scream before Sebastian twisted it upward and, with a sound that split the air like a gunshot, broke it.

Edward's scream carried far above the treetops, ringing overhead like a siren. Ciel pushed himself to his hands and feet, fingers clawing through the mud as he crawled into the water. He could feel Sebastian's eyes on him as he dragged himself forward to drape his body over Edward's now-unconscious form.

"What are you doing?" said Sebastian dryly. "You really think you can protect him?"

Ciel ignored him. With all his strength he dragged Edward closer to shore, trying to get him as far away from Sebastian as possible. He could only manage it for a few yards before his body gave way from exhaustion and he could only hold his friend close, shielding him with his body as the rain continued to cascade over them.

"I can kill him," Sebastian continued, hands in his pockets as he waded over to them. "You really can't protect him from me, little robin. You can't even protect yourself."

Ciel was quiet for a long time. He stared at Edward's pale, bloodied face, stroking the matted blonde hair, paralyzed with grief. _He came for me_, he thought suddenly. _Even after finding out what I am. He came for me. He protected me..._

Sebastian's footsteps got closer, and before Ciel knew it he was standing over them, reaching down to seize Edward and drag him out of Ciel's arms. He saw Sebastian open his mouth, saw his fangs lengthen, and didn't hesitate another moment.

His voice cracked as he cried out, "I'll go with you!"

Just like that, Sebastian stopped. His head turned just slightly, his expression unreadable as silence cut the air around them. The rain continued to fall in a delicate mist, settling in a soft fog on the forest floor. Sebastian hadn't let go of Edward yet, but his eyes were fixed hard on Ciel.

"What did you say?"

"I'll go with you," Ciel repeated, his voice softening. He reached down to tug the small cloth bag from his belt then thrust it at Sebastian. "Here. This is what I used to escape. I- I won't make anymore. I'll never try to escape again, I promise. Just please...please don't kill him."

There was another long pause, and Sebastian frowned. "Some of the others have lost their sight and smell," he said quietly. "It's more than likely temporary, but incredibly painful."

"I know," said Ciel desperately. "I can heal them. And I-I'll sew for you, and I'll go with you into the city, and I'll be yours. I promise." There was a moment's pause that seemed to contain an eternity, and then he added, "Forever."

Silence fell once more. For a long time it seemed as though Sebastian wasn't going to comply, his stature rigid, still beneath the steadily falling water. Then slowly, miraculously, he lowered Edward's body to the ground, laying him down on the wet leaves below. Edward's body was utterly still, splayed like a forgotten doll, and Ciel thought quickly.

"There are medicinal herbs here," he said suddenly, eyes fixed on Edward-or Edward's body. He couldn't be certain which. "All around the bank. Let me heal him enough to go back to town, and then-then we can go home."

The word home physically hurt to say, but it seemed to be enough for Sebastian.

The vampyr leader nodded, then moved across the bank to lean against a nearby tree. Ciel took that as his cue to get moving, so he pushed himself to his feet and set about gathering the herbs. He could only yank flowers and weeds from around the bank, and he collapsed on his knees before Edward so he could perform a haphazard spell.

It was completely unorthodox, and Ciel had no idea if it would work. He could feel Sebastian's eyes on him, hot needles pricking the back of his skull, but he focused as much as he could. Please come back, he thought as he lay the flowers over Edward's chest. Please don't be dead.

At last Edward's eyelashes fluttered and he groan, stirring on the ground. Ciel exhaled and took his friend by the hand, stroking it soothingly.

"Ciel?" Edward groaned when he came to, and Ciel shushes him.

"Edward, listen," Ciel said clearly. "I'm going away for a while. Maybe a long time, but-but I'll be safe, all right? You can't come looking for me anymore." His eyes welled up with tears, but he refused to let them fall. "Go back to the village and tell everyone that for me, all right? And..." He held back a sob as it crawled up his chest. "Tell my father I love him."

Edward blinked, weary and confused. "Ciel, wha..."

Ciel leaned down and kissed Edward's cheek before drawing away. "Goodbye."

"Ciel-" Edward pushed himself up, reaching out." Ciel!"

Unable to linger a moment longer, Ciel got to his feet. The rain had stopped, and Ciel could see the gold light of the sunset weaving through the heavy clouds. Without another word he turned and left, unwilling to look at Sebastian or Edward. For some reason a strange thought kept appearing in his mind-a memory or a dream, a little boy in a red hood running off with the wolf, leaving his home and his humanity behind.

"Ciel!"

The forest closed around him and the clouds moved, shutting out the light as he and Sebastian left for the vampyr village. They walked until the stream and Edward's voice could no longer be heard, and Ciel at once collapsed with exhaustion. He felt Sebastian lift him up onto his back, and he held on tightly for the rest of the journey, eyes closed as he finally let himself cry.

* * *

><p><strong>I don't think a lot of people like this story, but I am going to end up finishing it anyways, mostly so I can say i've actually finished a story for once. Review?<strong>


	4. Healing

**_Hi guys! Thanks for sticking around, so I kept this short and sweet. Well, except for the nightmare scene, but I had to keep a little horror in there._**

* * *

><p><em>Ciel walked up the stairs toward the front door, carrying his basket of flowers. He used to gather them for mother when he was a child, he thought fondly, and thought of her smile when he handed her extra ones as a present, just because they were pretty.<em>

_When he got inside though, mother and father weren't there. Instead there stood the wolf, looking much bigger than before, its eyes wild and hungry._

_"What big eyes you have," said Ciel, shrinking away and trembling._

_"The better to see you with, my dear," the wolf growled, the sound echoing through the small cottage._

_"What big ears you have..."_

_The wolf's shadow seemed to grow, and suddenly Ciel could see something in the far corner of the room- It looked like a body, fallen and shrunken, with long golden hair caked with blood. The arm was outstretched, holding a half-eaten apple that rolled onto the dusty floor._

_"The better to hear you with, my dear."_

_The kettle on the stove started whistling, the shrill sound filling the room as Ciel continued to back away. There was blood on the wolf's muzzle, mixing with saliva and dripping down in thick, ropey droplets around Ciel's feet._

_"What big teeth you have!" Ciel cried._

_Suddenly the wolf was on top of him, pinning him to the ground-but it wasn't a wolf anymore. It was Sebastian, looking down at him with insane crimson eyes, surrounded by black, the eyes of a madman._

_"The better to eat you with, my dear" he growled, tearing at Ciel's clothes. Ciel could only lie there and scream as Sebastian pushed open his legs and violated him, tearing him from the inside. When Ciel looked up again he saw those eyes, vicious fangs that grew and grew as the kettle continued whistling-_

_-descending upon him, tearing into his flesh, ripping his head off-_

* * *

><p>Ciel woke up with a scream that tore his throat in two. He sprang up from the bed so violently it twisted something in his shoulder, and he gasped and clutched at it as it flared with pain. His body was trembling, soaked in sweat, and he struggled to get his breathing under control.<p>

"Bad dream?"

The voice from the other side of the room startled him so badly he nearly screamed again. Instead his head jerked up and he looked over to see none other than Sebastian, seated in the chair next to the fireplace.

In an instant memories tore across Ciel's mind- Of the ashes, the smoke, the way his lungs had burned as he ran, the way it had felt when he finally escaped this hell... Of Edward's kind eyes, of the way he'd been so convinced he was about to see home again- And then of Sebastian, tossing Edward about like a doll, breaking him like a child might break a toy it no longer loved, giving Ciel an ultimatum without speaking a word…

A kettle was over the fire, whistling. Sebastian removed it gingerly and poured Ciel a cup of tea, and Ciel could only watch the surreal scene from his bed, struggling to reconcile the image with that of the ruthless monster that had nearly killed his friend.

Sebastian walked across the room and handed Ciel the tea. It didn't smell like tea at all, really-more like a jumble of different herbs, strange-smelling and undefinable. He stared down at it, at the reflection of a tired and broken boy looking back at him, and barely recognized it. Something boiled up within him, something much hotter than the warm cup in his hands, burning his insides on the way up- And suddenly he was throwing the teacup against the wall, splattering the hot liquid everywhere.

Startled but amused, Sebastian crossed his arms and watched Ciel with mild interest. "Are you more of a coffee person?" he remarked dryly.

"Shut up," said Ciel in a low voice. "Shut your horrible mouth."

He got to his feet, unwilling to lie on the bed any longer, turning his back on Sebastian.

"Ooh, we are mad," said Sebastian, unfolding his arms and walking closer. "Do you love him, little robin?"

"I have a name," Ciel snapped. He was so angry it seemed to twist up every part of him, bringing him into something thin and pointed. "It's Ciel."

"Well then Ciel," said Sebastian in a silky voice, sliding closer until he was inches away from where Ciel was standing.

"Tell me. Do you love him? Does he make your heart race, your blood boil..."

Suddenly Ciel could feel Sebastian behind him, feel his breath against the back of his neck, hot and hungry._ The better to eat you with, my dear._ Something was stroking up his hip and across to his front, tickling him, and he realized it was Sebastian's fingers. With one hand Sebastian reached around to apply pressure to Ciel's chest, dragging him close, and the other hand quite suddenly slid down between Ciel's legs, slipping underneath the flimsy tunic he wore.

"Does he make you wet?" Sebastian growled deep in Ciel's ear.

His fingers prodded, searched, and Ciel felt his entire body tense up. Terrible memories of their first encounter locked him in place, filled him with terror, kept him immobile as Sebastian's fingers explored his bare skin. For a moment it seemed as though Sebastian were quite ready to violate Ciel again, to slide his fingers where he'd thrust and ripped and torn before, to claim him for the second time-

Then Ciel spun around in his arms, reached back, and punched Sebastian hard in the face.

The vampyr reeled and stumbled backward, caught by surprise. His hands left Ciel's body and instead reached up to brush blood from where his lower lip had split from the blow. He examined it, disbelieving, and a wolfish grin spread slowly over his face.

"You have some fight in you," he murmured. "Not what I expected."

"You aren't what I expected either," said Ciel throatily, his chest heaving with rage. "You told me vampyrs become monsters at nightfall. But you-you're always a monster."

Without another word Ciel turned and left the room, vibrating with anger. He didn't care where he was going or what he was leaving behind- He just needed to be as far away from Sebastian as possible.

Outside the inn the sunlight had returned, and the village was quiet. Most of the vampyrs slept during the day, Ciel had learned, which left the village desolate and quiet but for the clusters of vampyrs keeping watch along the perimeter.

Ciel made his way to the large well near the town square and sat on the edge of it, staring down at the dirty water within. After a while he felt someone approaching, and was surprised to see Alois shuffling toward him, his hands twisting nervously like always. He sat down next to him and was completely silent, offering some kind of solidarity Ciel couldn't understand right then, but he appreciated it all the same.

They sat together in silence for a long time. Then Alois reached over, grabbing Ciel's hand abruptly, like a child might when dragging their parents to see the picture they'd drawn. Ciel allowed himself to be tugged up, and Alois kept his hold on his hand as he led him across the village to one of the old, decaying houses near the woods.

The house was so decrepit that its roof was sloped in, threatening to collapse. Ciel followed Alois inside with some trepidation, and stepped around fallen beams and rubble as they made their way to what Ciel assumed to be a bedroom.

Inside a young man with shaggy dark purple hair was propped up in the bed, being nursed by Red. The lavender haired woman was there as well-and Ciel could see that her wounds from the fight were already substantially healed, though still very painful-looking. Alois led Ciel over to the bedside, and he gasped when he saw bloodstained bandages covering the bedridden young man's eyes.

_The spell. The enchanted ash must have gotten into his eyes…_

"What's he doing here?" The lavender haired woman asked, looking from Alois to Ciel.

Alois just pointed from Ciel to the boy on the bed, and Ciel realized something for the first time. _He can't speak._

"You can heal him?" Red asked Ciel, looking hesitant. "It's your smoke that did this to him in the first place." She glanced at the other woman in the room. "We vampyrs normally heal very quickly, but his recovery has been delayed. Did you intend to blind him?"

"No," said Ciel quickly, moving close to the boy's bedside.

"Trust me. If I'd intended to hurt any of you, the spell would have rebounded upon me threefold. It is the law of my kind. Though I have to admit I've considered breaking them more than once since you all brought me here."

"We didn't bring you here," the woman interjected vehemently. "That's all Sebastian's doing. You're his human, after all."

Ciel glared. "I am not his anything. Nor will I ever be."

"Who's there?" the boy in the bed said suddenly, looking anxious. "A human?"

"A witch," Red replied, touching the boy's arm. "He's here to heal you, Timber, with his magic. And he will not harm you, or we'll tear him to pieces. Isn't that right, Hannah?"

The lavender haired woman, Hannah, didn't reply, but she crossed her arms over her chest, looking surly. Alois walked behind her and put his arms around her waist, pressing against her back, his expression vacant.

"All right," said Ciel, rubbing his hands together. "I'm going to need a fire stoked. Alois, I want you to gather me some nightshade. I saw some near the edge of the forest. And I'll need a kettle boiling."

"Go," Hannah told Alois softly, squeezing him briefly with one arm and pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead. He nodded and left immediately. Hannah watched him leave then fixed her eyes upon Ciel, who was busily getting a fire going.

"Why are you helping us?" she demanded, eying Ciel suspiciously. "You despise us, do you not?"

"I despise Sebastian," Ciel replied crisply. "And your ways. But I hardly think any of you chose your circumstances, just as I have not chosen mine."

Alois returned with the herbs and Ciel snatched them up, placing them within the kettle. He'd managed to get a small fire going, and he gathered up the old ash around the bottom of the fireplace, tracing in it with his fingers.

"What is he doing?" he heard Timber ask, and Red shushed him.

Ciel felt anxious being watched, but managed to fall into the trance with some intense concentration. The vampyrs around him gazed in awed silence as he performed the spell, drawing pictures in the ash as he enchanted the herbs. As always memories of his mother expanded to all corners of his mind, surrounding it like warm arms, drawing him into a world of magic.

And as always, leaving that world was as painful as a wound.

The trance broken, Ciel got to his feet and removed the kettle from the fire. Alois handed him a cup and he poured a generous amount of the herbal tea within before handing it to Red.

"Here," she told Timber, and her voice sounded much softer than usual. Ciel hadn't been able to tell at first, but it was clear now that her prickly disposition was mostly surface-level.

Timber took the tea reluctantly, and Ciel noticed that there was blood all over his fingers. Red caught his look of surprised and pursed her lips as Timber drank.

"He tried to scratch his eyes out," she informed Ciel under her breath.

Standing there in that broken house surrounded by damaged people, Ciel finally began to feel the complicated weight of the vampyrs' world press down on him. He waited until Timber had emptied the cup then took it back, suddenly anxious.

"Did it work?" Hannah demanded.

"His sight should return sometime tonight," Ciel explained.

"I've healed broken bones in less time, but eyes are- I mean, it was a powerful spell. That I used on him."

Guilt spilled over him, ugly and hot, and suddenly he needed to leave. He set down the cup and turned around, exiting before the others could say another word to him. _Why do I feel guilty?_ he demanded of himself as he walked across the village square. _I was trying to escape these horrible people. And they are horrible, all of them-_

Having nowhere else to go, he headed back to the inn. When he reached his room he saw the pile of red cloaks lying there on the ground, right where Alois had left them. On the floor nearby were the sewing supplies he'd dropped, and he bent over to pick them up before moving to sit on the bed.

A few moments were spent wrestling with himself, and then Ciel reached over to drag one of the cloaks over the bed and onto his lap.

_Might as well pass the time._

* * *

><p>Later that evening his door opened, and in walked Sebastian.<p>

Ciel had finished repairing all but two of the cloaks by then, and was still diligently working when Sebastian walked in. As usual Ciel tensed up at the sight of him, unable to let go of the fear and dread that the vampyr had left in his skin.

Sebastian seemed subdued, and Ciel found himself curious despite the revulsion he still felt for the other man. The vampyr crossed the room and approached Ciel almost tentatively, reaching out to present a small parcel.

"What is that?" Ciel asked bluntly, raising an eyebrow.

"Poison," said Sebastian dryly. "As if I couldn't rip you apart if I wanted to."

Ciel snatched the parcel from his hand, rolling his eyes. He unfolded it slowly and saw that it contained a bundle of leaves- He lifted them to his nose and gingerly sniffed them, taking in a familiar scent.

"You brought me tea," he stated.

"You didn't like the kind I made you before," said Sebastian defensively. "As I assumed, since you threw it against the wall."

"I threw it because was angry that you nearly killed my friend," Ciel corrected him sternly. "But it was rather horrible, you aren't wrong about that."

"That's why I brought you those tea leaves," Sebastian snapped, crossing his arms petulantly. "Or is that not good enough for you?"

Ciel stared. For someone so strong and fearsome, Sebastian seemed incredibly childish right then. "It's fine," he replied softly. "Thank you."

Sebastian just made a gruff sound, then turned to leave.

"Wait!" Ciel called out suddenly. Sebastian stopped and turned his head, curious.

"Why are you doing this?" Ciel demanded. "Not just the tea, but-but the room, the food, the clothes... You could have just left me in the barn naked with moldy bread to eat. Why are you so concerned for my comfort, especially after what you did?"

"Would you prefer the barn?" said Sebastian dryly, lifting an eyebrow.

"Obviously not," Ciel snapped.

"Then just be grateful," Sebastian replied. Ciel opened his mouth to let out a frustrated reply, but before he could say another word Sebastian turned and left the room, shutting the door tightly behind him.

Ciel was left alone and confused once more-but also as though the horrible, sinking weight that had been pressing down on his heart had finally started to lift.

* * *

><p><strong>Review? ^.^<strong>


	5. Sidewinding

**I've finally come to accept how fucking trashy this story is and I'm not even sorry. Go read my other fic if you want depth and meaning and dignity a'ight.**

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><p>Days passed, and Ciel adapted.<p>

He made an attempt, at the very least, to hold onto any integrity he could. He refused to take part in any of the vampyr's savage activities, and preferred to keep to himself, sewing more than he ever had in his entire life. He managed to mend his favorite red tunic, to stitch it up from when it had been torn asunder, and he was proud of himself for doing so without a terrible amount of anxiety.

The younger vampyrs were soon coming to him and asking him to mend their clothes, which he couldn't help but find ironic. News of his 'healing powers' had gotten around rather quickly, and it seemed as though the younger vampyrs viewed this with no small amount of awe.

Despite this, Ciel never stopped yearning for home-and in the dark hours of the night, with the sounds of the vampyrs fighting brutally outside, he found himself slipping into the darkest corners of his mind. It was no rare occurrence to wake up bathed in cold sweat, having been forced yet again to relive the horror of his rape in nightmares, to return to consciousness knowing that the man who did it was never more than several yards away at any given time. While dull acceptance a steely disposition kept him thriving during daylight hours, he was completely stripped bare when night fell and he had nothing there to anchor him or shield him from the purest form of despair he'd ever experienced in his young life.

The nightmares were ever-present when he slept, but they were intermittently cut with strange dreams that he scarcely remembered upon waking. When he racked his brain while sewing or brewing a potion, however, he managed to pull together one common theme: a little boy and a wolf, a foggy cemetery, and a lingering feeling of familiarity.

Once more Ciel found himself in the throes of those dreams, and this time the dream followed the little boy out of the cemetery and into the woods close by. He walked alone for a long time until something stood in his way- It was blurry, but they might have been more wolves, all much bigger and more savage-looking than the first. And unlike before, the boy looked scared this time. They closed in around him, and the last thing Ciel saw before he woke was a blur of motion, and the sight of the wolf from before jumping in front of the little boy, shielding him from the predators.

Ciel woke up feeling confused and very, very thirsty.

He walked out to the well, and found Red and Alois doing laundry there. Red was doing most of the work; Alois kept trying to catch nearby crickets, and Ciel grimaced as he saw him successfully nab one and shove it in his mouth triumphantly.

"Hello," he said carefully as he approached Red. "I was wondering if I might fetch some water?"

Red shrugged and let him fill up a bucket to take back to his room. As he pulled up, he saw her red shirt dip low on her chest when she reached down to grab a pile of linens. The skin that was revealed was covered in more of the vicious-looking scars that creeped over her neckline, even darker and more numerous, and he couldn't hold back his curiosity any longer.

"Red... Might I ask you something?"

She grunted in reply, not looking up at him.

"How did you get those scars?"

That got her attention. She looked up at him sharply, and didn't reply right away.

In any other circumstance Ciel might have felt guilty for possibly offending her, but his empathy for the vampyrs was quite limited. Instead, he just stared at her calmly, waiting for an answer.

"We all have them," she said finally, looking carefully over at Alois. She seemed to be treading lightly, but not for Ciel's sake.

"I know," Ciel replied. "I want to know why. At first I thought it might be due to your barbaric idea of entertainment, but they look...methodical. As if they were carved with a knife."

"Shh!" Red hissed, her eyes widening. She glanced at Alois again, and relaxed slightly when she saw that the boy was still obviously munching on crickets.

She glared over at Ciel. "Take your water and leave," she snapped, and returned to her laundry.

Ciel sighed; he knew a lost cause when he saw one. He dutifully took his bucket and walked back toward the inn, glancing back once to see Red affectionately toying with Alois's blonde hair.

Before long Ciel was told that they'd be setting off for the city the following day.

The terror that had filled Ciel's heart had lulled to a dull sense of dread, a sick knotted-up ball of twine in his stomach that tightened as each hour went by. He tried to distract himself with sewing, and didn't realize that he'd pricked and calloused his fingers so badly they were starting to hurt severely. Unable to move his fingers properly, he decided to go outside and find some medicinal herbs to heal them. As he walked along the edge of the woods collecting them, he found himself face-to-face with Timber.

The young man's eyes were no longer covered in bandages, so Ciel could see that his wounds had healed over. He got to his feet, brushing off the grass that had stuck to his tunic, curious.

"Can I help you?" he asked with no small amount of caution. He got the distinct sense that Timber was unstable, and not the in the sad, sweet way that Alois was; the other boy seemed to thrum with some sort of deep-seated rage, something that itched under his skin and threatened to tear itself out at any moment.

"I wanted to thank you," Timber mumbled, folding his arms tightly over his bare chest. "Your powers are quite remarkable. None of us have ever seen such a thing before."

"They aren't powers, exactly," Ciel corrected him gently. "But you're welcome."

Timber was quiet for a moment, fidgeting. When he spoke his voice was low.

"Listen. I overheard you speaking with Red earlier."

Ciel's eyebrows lifted. "And?"

There was another moment in which Timber looked like a thing under pressure, something building and stretching and threatening to burst, and Ciel felt the urge to run. He took a step back instinctively, and gasped when he found his wrist caught in a vice-like grip.

"Look at them," Timber said in a strained voice. "Look at them."

"At what?" Ciel said, startled.

"At the scars," said Timber desperately. "Can you heal them? Do you think you could make them go away?"

"I- I don't know," said Ciel fearfully. He swallowed dryly, eyes darting down at Timber's chest, where the scars looked fresher than ever. A moment of reckless courage came over him, and he looked back up at Timber's face.

"How did you get them?" he asked, his voice breathless.

Surprisingly, Timber's grip loosened and eventually his hand fell away. He dragged a hand through his hair, agitated, as Ciel shook the feeling back into his arm.

"I was given them," Timber murmured. "When I was made."

"When you were..." Ciel stared at him. "You mean when you were changed into a vampyr?"

Timber nodded. "The process was long," he explained in a trembling voice. "It took all night. A night of unimaginable pain. It is such for all of us."

At first Ciel was desperately confused-but then he remembered his first night after being taken, of the barn, of the table inside. There had been tools there. The vampyrs didn't seem interested in building anything-and many of the tools had been sharp, strange-looking, lethal, and as he racked his brain Ciel could distinctly remember the brown crusting of old blood on their rusted surface-and something dropped into his stomach like a block of ice, melting, spreading.

They hadn't been tools. They had been torture implements.

Things were falling into place around him. Sudden terrifying clarity had fallen over everything-about the scars, about the vampyrs' violent and vengeful nature, Timber's anger, Alois's madness, Sebastian's utter lack of empathy-

"Can you heal them?" Timber asked again, urgent, breaking his thoughts in half.

Ciel felt vaguely sick. "I do not know," he said softly. "That sort of wound, it's...it's old. It's dark, dark magic I cannot begin to understand-"

"Then try to understand it!" Timber shouted, his anger rising once more. His hand darted out and reached for Ciel again-

-only to be suddenly and roughly grabbed by Sebastian, who had just stepped into Ciel's line of vision seemingly out of nowhere. He was holding a bundle of cloth in one arm, and his eyes looked dangerously calm in the way that the earth did before a torrential storm rocked the sky above it.

"Do not touch him," he told Timber in a soft voice that made Ciel's hair prickle on the back of his neck. Timber instantly let go and Sebastian stepped back, satisfied.

Ciel didn't linger. He turned away immediately and headed back to the inn, ignoring the sound of footsteps as Sebastian followed him. Being tracked unnerved him on a purely cerebral level, and he quickened his pace until he was all but running to the inn. He turned to slam the door behind him, but Sebastian caught up with no trouble at all, holding it open with his arm.

Stepping back, Ciel made a frustrated sound. "What do you want?" he mumbled, turning away to walk to his room. His heart was thumping in a single, buzzing beat in his chest, jolted by a knee-jerk reaction to Sebastian chasing him. It was stupid and irrational, Ciel thought, and he despised how Sebastian's presence continued to inspire fear and dread in the very core of him.

"I've got something for you," Sebastian replied, and tossed Ciel the bundle of cloth.

It was a pair of pants.

"How kind of you," Ciel drawled, unimpressed.

"You ought to put those on now," Sebastian said, folding his arms and leaning against the nearby wall. "See if they fit properly."

"I will if you turn around," Ciel replied sharply. He was utterly on edge; he'd been deeply disturbed by Timber's words and his subsequent realization, and Sebastian had only made things worse. As usual, Sebastian inspired feelings of confusion and frustration and fury in him that no one else could.

"What if I don't want to?"

"I'll hit you again."

"Oh really," said Sebastian-and in an instant, he was close to Ciel again. He took Ciel's wrist, and even though his grip was much gentler than Timber's it felt much more purposeful, much more dangerous.

"Do you really think there isn't anything I wouldn't do to you again, little robin?" Sebastian said in a low voice.

Icy fear dropped into Ciel's chest, but it wasn't enough to stopper his defiance. He was quiet for a moment, though, which made Sebastian think he had won. The vampyr smirked and turned away, but the conversation wasn't done.

"But you haven't," Ciel said clearly, suddenly.

Sebastian frowned and turned. "What did you say?"

"You haven't," Ciel continued, his heartbeat picking up again. "You've had many opportunities, but you haven't. And you never explained to me why you gave me this room, and the food, and the tea, and the clothes... It's almost as if you-"

"As if I what?"

Ciel's jaw tightened. "As if you were experiencing remorse."

To his surprise, Sebastian didn't respond right away. He clenched his teeth and finally stepped back, turning to face the fire. Ciel had a view of his back then, and could see the scars starting at the top of his neck and disappearing down the back of his shirt.

Sebastian was tortured too, he thought suddenly, and felt sick.

"Are you going to get dressed?" Sebastian asked gruffly, startling him. Ciel stared for a moment before hastily tugging on the pair of pants and adjusting his tunic over them. They were a little short, but they fit just fine.

"They'll do," he said tersely. "Thank you. You can turn back around now."

There was another long moment of silence. Sebastian didn't turn right away, and instead poked at the fire, causing its flames to flare up and surround his silhouette.

Ciel stood uncomfortably, wrapping his arms around his chest, unwilling to yield just yet to this unpredictable, impossible man.

"I have forgotten," Sebastian said at last. "The feeling of remorse. I have forgotten many things."

The words sounded familiar. _'Sebastian hasn't been human in a long time,'_ Red had said, hadn't she? He has forgotten what it's like.

"Sebastian," said Ciel boldly, referring to the vampyr by his name for the first time.

The sound of it startled Sebastian enough to turn his head at last, to look at Ciel with eyes that seemed much bigger than usual, wide and deceptively innocent.

"When did you become a vampyr?" Ciel continued. "When did you get those scars?"

There was another long, taut moment of silence in which Ciel could hear his own heartbeat flutter and twitch, and then Sebastian replied, "Two hundred years ago."

Ciel gasped audibly. It was difficult to believe that the young-looking man standing before him was older than his father, than Shady Hollow's eldest citizens, than Shady Hollow itself. It should have been impossible-but Ciel was well acquainted with things beyond the scope of humanity, things from other worlds. It was just that his world had been very small before, and now it was sprawling in front of him like a gaping maw, impossible to escape.

"Who was it?" Ciel asked then in an urgent whisper, unable to stop himself. "Who did that to you?"

He knew he'd been pushing it, but he was disappointed nonetheless when Sebastian did not reply, and instead turned away to walk toward the door.

"We leave at dawn," he said brusquely. "You can bring some of your medicines with you, but keep your load light. We'll be walking all day."

Ciel deflated somewhat, then nodded. Sebastian left again, and Ciel felt like he'd barely scratched the surface of a complex whole, a tiny chip off an ageless monolith much too big for him. If anything, he felt as though his own healing process depended on the salvaging of that monolith, on grappling for a semblance of humanity in his captors-in Sebastian in particular.

Sebastian may have forgotten his humanity, but at that moment Ciel decided he was hell-bent on making him remember.

* * *

><p>They left for the city at dawn, and walked.<p>

For hours.

Ciel's fear had crawled out of the hole where it had slept, keeping him alert even as his body ached from head to toe. The world they were crossing was utterly unfamiliar to him, and he was so far now from his little village that he could feel tethers snapping behind him. He forced himself to look ahead as he followed the rest of the vampyrs through thick woods and sprawling fields, forced himself to push all thoughts of his father, Edward, and Elizabeth out of his mind.

The vampyrs moved quickly, and it was difficult to keep up the pace. Ciel stumbled often, and was subsequently yanked back onto his feet each time, forced to keep moving. By the time sunset approached he was on the verge of collapse, but he knew he couldn't lie down to sleep anywhere near the vampyrs with the inevitable approach of nightfall.

Red seemed to sense his anxiety, and walked near him as the other vampyrs settled around the clearing to rest. She handed him a cup of water and an apple, which he snatched away from her far too greedily. He didn't care it it was rude; he was far too exhausted and hungry to worry about manners.

Red lingered nearby while he ate, and as soon as he felt some strength return he looked up at her anxiously.

"What am I to do?" he said softly. "When night falls-"

"We are under strict orders not to harm you," Red replied. "You are to sleep down near the creek, out of our sight. It isn't as though you can escape; we are miles from civilization. And you know he will find you."

"I know," said Ciel, and a shiver raced down his spine. "It is him who I am most afraid of."

Red didn't reply, and turned away to head back to where the other vampyrs were getting a fire going. Dressed in their black robes, they all looked like members of some religious order, indistinguishable and unsettlingly uniform. Ciel curled up against a fallen tree, cold and miserable, until the sun sank lower down the horizon and he knew he had to make himself scarce.

As he wandered down the slight hill toward the creek, he briefly considered taking off in the opposite direction, running as fast as he could away from the vampyrs, away from whatever fate they had in store for him. It was foolish though, to even entertain the notion; there was nothing but miles of dead forest all around them, and no matter how far he got he knew that Sebastian would find him.

_Just as the wolf found the little boy in his dreams._

He found a mossy spot near the creek and gathered leaves around it for extra cushioning, fashioning himself a makeshift bed. Ciel loved nature, but this forest didn't seem nearly as welcoming as the forest near Hollow had. Instead of bright green grass and thick trees with sprawling arms that closed around him, there were shattered black trunks and twisted vines and lurid-looking fungus clustered all over the creek bed. It was cold, unwelcoming, and didn't inspire magic in Ciel's heart at all. Instead, he felt as though he were treading dangerous ground, a forbidden place his mother would never let him venture into.

There was dark magic here.

He curled up on the ground and closed his eyes, envisioning sweet-smelling grass and lightly falling dandelion seeds, of the sound of crickets and frogs instead of cold, howling emptiness. His exhaustion was enough to drag him into sleep, and he slept fitfully, with only his thoughts to keep him warm.

A few hours later-or minutes, he couldn't be sure-he was forced awake by the sound of footsteps. The person approaching him was making no effort to be quiet or stealthy, and Ciel could hear twigs snapping and leaves rusting and, distantly, the sound of muted growling.

He scrambled to his feet, plunging into fear. Memories of the barn floor flooded back to him, and he was overcome with dread- It was Sebastian, it had to be Sebastian, he was coming back to do it again and why had he thought he could trust him not to, why had he provoked him again, what insanity had come over him to even entertain the notion-

The growling got louder and the approacher came into his line of vision, and Ciel was startled to see that it wasn't Sebastian at all.

It was Timber.

Ciel barely had time to react before the vampyr was on him, grabbing his arm and wrenching him roughly down to the ground. He struggled to find purchase and push himself up, but the much boy was able to pin him down effortlessly, looking down at him with eyes that burned with the same predatory heat that Sebastian's had on that fateful night.

"Help," said Ciel suddenly, his voice cracking. The word had been far too small, shrunken with fear, and he tried again. "Help-"

"Shut up," Timber spat, and roughly tore his fingernails-his claws-across Ciel's face. Ciel screamed with pain and tried to roll to his side, desperate to get away, relying on pure instinct.

Timber grabbed him by the collar, yanking him back, choking him, and then he was on top of Ciel again. Where Sebastian had attacked methodically, purposefully, Timber was all brute force and rabid, unchecked fury. His claws cut deeply into Ciel's skin as he scratched blindly and insanely, aiming for nothing other than to make Ciel bleed as much as possible.

"You can heal me," Timber was crying out, and his voice was wretched, wounded.

"Do it- Do it or I'll cover you in scars, I'll make you hideous, you little cunt-"

"I can't-" Ciel screamed as Timber's fingers tightened in his hair and pulled. "Oh god- Oh god, stop!"

He couldn't get away. Something snapped in Timber and he lost all reason, letting out a guttural howl before diving forward and sinking his teeth into Ciel's neck.

Ciel screamed. The pain was, of course, unimaginable-but different than the sensations he felt when Sebastian bit him. It was deep, sharp, brutal pain, and he squirmed on the ground in a pitiful attempt to get away as Timber drank from him greedily.

He'd been bitten before, and it had always ended in blacking out, in falling away and

waking up somewhere else entirely. This time, it ended much differently.

Timber's teeth were pulled from his throat abruptly with a sick popping sound, and he let out a moan of pain as his head fell back on the dusty, hard ground. In his blurred vision he could see two shapes entangled in front of him- Timber, flailing violently, struggling as someone yanked him off of Ciel and threw him brutally to the ground.

Ciel's vision was blurry, but he knew who had come to his rescue without even needing it. He could see Sebastian forcing Timber's head down as if he were admonishing a dog, fingers pressing into the muscles at the back of Timber's neck.

"Stay away from him." he growled. "Or I'll break your neck."

The sound of Sebastian's feral voice-so much lower, so much more deadly, and so horribly familiar-filled Ciel's heart with dread. He curled up on his side, clutching the wound in his neck and watching helplessly as the two vampyrs clashed in front of him. Timber had yanked free of Sebastian's hold and was thrashing at him, and it was just like the fights Ciel had witnessed back at the village-all gnashing teeth and ripping claws, flesh against flesh, skin and bone and sinew, saliva and blood. Ciel had no idea who was faring better in the fight; he squeezed his eyes shut, just clutching his wound, trying to lose himself somewhere in his mind, somewhere safe.

Finally it ended. Ciel opened his eyes to see Sebastian crouching above Timber's motionless body, and his stomach twisted- _Did he kill him?_

The question died as fear swamped Ciel's mind. Sebastian was here, right there beside him, it was nighttime, and Sebastian was feral.

He knew what that meant.

Suddenly very alert, he slid backward and groped around for something he could use as a weapon. There was nothing around him but a tangle of sticks and a few rocks, and he seized one from the creek bed and threw it in Sebastian's direction as the vampyr turned and started to crawl toward him.

"Stay back!" he cried. His entire body ached, covered in bruises and deep scratches that were oozing blood, and he felt himself grow cold as he lost more and more of it-but he kept flinging rocks as he found them, desperately trying to avoid reliving the trauma that still bled like a fresh wound in his mind.

Sebastian kept crawling, closer and closer, and Ciel let out a sob as the inevitable became clear. He lifted his arm to throw another rock, but Sebastian grabbed it and forced it back to the ground.

_'Do you really think there isn't anything I wouldn't do to you again, little robin?'_

"Don't," Ciel whimpered as those red eyes came into view, so familiar.

"Sebastian. Please."

Sebastian's expression was unreadable. He looked down at Ciel as if checking him over, leaning close to sniff at him. His nose nuzzled against Ciel's throat, and Ciel shivered.

"Remember," Ciel whispered, at once still and shaking like a trapped animal, desperately grappling for freedom. "Remember, Sebastian... Please..."

He gasped as something wet and warm trailed over the wound on his neck. It took him a moment to realize that it was Sebastian's tongue, licking at the wound Timber had left there, and for a moment he felt like vomiting. He had no idea what Sebastian was doing, but he couldn't help but notice the change in his demeanor.

Instead of holding Ciel down, taunting him, treating him like a piece of meat-he was almost gentle, lapping at Ciel's wound as if to soothe it. Just like when they'd first met in the barn, Ciel felt a surge of familiarity, as if he'd met Sebastian before long ago.

He grew faint as he lost more blood. Sebastian pulled away and straightened up, and his eyes seemed different-bigger, darker, pupils blown. Ciel was still for as long as he could manage it, but he knew that if he lost more blood he'd most certainly pass out.

Slowly he pulled himself up and dragged his battered, aching body toward the side of the creek. Some witch hazel was growing there, and he used all the strength he could muster to tear off a few leaves and press them against the deepest cut on his arm. He leaned back against a tree trunk, breathing in slowly and deeply as he summoned what little magic he could in the dark, desolate woods that surrounded him.

Sebastian sat nearby, staring. Ciel felt some of the wounds begin to crust and heal over, the skin binding together slowly and scabbing over beneath the leaves. Once the meager spell was done he let the leaves fall to the ground and he breathed deeply, exhausted but blessedly relieved of much of the pain.

Leaves crunched as Sebastian once again made his way toward him. Ciel tensed up involuntarily, and gasped as Sebastian ducked his head down and started licking at more wounds on his leg. Utterly confused and utterly exhausted, Ciel just watched Sebastian's bizarre actions with an air of resignation.

"If you do it again," Ciel whispered, stone-faced and dour. "I might break."

Sebastian said nothing. His tongue slid over the wounds and then over the smooth flesh of Ciel's thigh, and Ciel shivered. Something very unlike fear-something the very opposite of it-was prickling through him, making him suck in a shuddering breath.

"Sebastian..."

He squirmed. The sensation was blotting out the pain, startling him, confusing him.

It wasn't unlike the way he'd felt when Edward smiled at him, or-or when he kissed him, touched him-but this was Sebastian. This was the cruel monster who had taken everything away from him, had violated his body and his soul, had stripped away in one night his self-constructed, safe little world.

This wasn't right. It was sick.

Yet there he was, letting it happen, letting Sebastian slide his hands over his legs and up his thighs, to the hem of his pants. His fingers curled around it and Ciel felt him hesitate, as if the beast in him had any room for contemplation, for common sense. Then Sebastian was sliding the pants down and off, revealing Ciel's bruised and battered legs.

"Sebastian," Ciel said again, as if in warning. His fingers curled around another rock, tightening hard, prepared to lift it and smash it over Sebastian's head as hard as he could- But then the tongue returned, licking up the gash Timber had left on Ciel's thigh, and his entire body shuddered.

His body melted against the tree trunk, listless and pliant and suddenly without fear.

Slowly his fingers released the rock he'd been holding, and his mouth fell open as Sebastian's tongue moved up his thigh, closer and closer and God so close and his thighs were spreading and what was he doing, why-

It was like Ciel was suspended in a dream, unable to move and surrendering to experience. Sebastian's head was now firmly positioned between his thighs, mouth moving over the sensitive flesh there, mouthing and kissing and licking hungrily, and Ciel let out a loud groan. It was nothing like it had been in the barn- Then he had been terrified for his life, fighting against something horrifying and impossible to comprehend, forced brutally into a world he'd never explored before. Now that world was blunt and stark and right before him, and he didn't fear it anymore. He'd survived the worst of it, and the vulnerable parts of him had scabbed over, and the nightmare was dancing in the palm of his hand.

Right now, Sebastian was his.

The hand that had been gripping the rock instead fell down to claw at the soil near the creek bed, scratching at it as pleasure pumped relentlessly through his body.

Sebastian didn't display much technique or finesse, wild and feral as he lapped at Ciel like an animal, devouring him. Every time Sebastian's tongue dragged over his clit Ciel let out a sharp gasp, startled by the intense pleasure, the sensitivity of the parts that he'd never explored on his own before. Then that tongue pushed inside of him, breaching him, and he thought he might die with the burn of it, the filth of it, the way the pleasure weaved with the pain of his wounds and stung him.

Sebastian's tongue thrust inside of him wildly and lapped at his clit in turn, and Ciel couldn't bear it anymore. His head fell back against the tree trunk and he cried out as pleasure curled through his body, starting in his belly and spreading in between his legs like something winding and springing free. His first orgasm ripped through his body without warning, seizing him and turning him inside out, and he spasmed and jerked and moaned until his body wilted, spent, against the tree trunk.

Slowly Sebastian pulled away, looking at him with mild interest as he sagged against the tree's roots, sated and confused and completely overwhelmed. If his mind was still battling the morality of it all, it was doing so very quietly, and all he could think about was sleeping.

Thankfully Sebastian seemed to have the same idea. He edged away, then curled up on the ground close to Ciel's feet. Timber's unconscious form was only yards away, but Sebastian didn't seem to have much regard for it. He closed his eyes, and Ciel felt like that little boy in the red hood again-only this time, he was a little older, a little wiser, and he had tamed the wolf. For now.

He slept.

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><p><strong>Reviews are appreciated! <strong>


	6. Descending

**Thank you for sticking with this slowly developing plot and I offer you plentiful smut in return, and Ciel is at last going to start to put together the pieces of the history between himself and Sebastian. Additional warnings for this chapter include dub-con due to a sex...spell?**

**Just a quick note here: I want to make it clear that this fic is very romance-novel-y and does not reflect a healthy relationship in the slightest, nor does it reflect my personal views in any way. Although Ciel's feelings toward Sebastian are changing, I do not intend to imply that Sebastian's actions are in any way forgivable. This is a work of fiction through and through.**

**Thank you and enjoy!**

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><p><em>The little boy walked up the hill, holding his basket of flowers. The fog hung low, but he could see the cemetery in the distance, old and cracked and still. The mausoleum was there, just as it always was, but the wolf wasn't.<em>

_Instead, there was a man. His face was blurry, impossible to define, but he was hurt. The little boy knelt beside him and took a sharp rock from the ground. He used it to cut his arm, pressing it deep into the flesh until blood rolled down his skin in cool droplets. The starving man leaned forward and pressed his lips against the wound, drinking slowly but desperately._

_Afterwards the man looked at the little boy, and his bloodstained mouth said 'Thank you'. The little boy smiled._

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><p>Slowly Ciel opened his eyes. There was pain in his back from where he'd been slumped against a tree trunk, and he frowned, pushing himself up slowly.<p>

Rubbing his legs together made him suddenly aware of wetness between them, and he realized he wasn't wearing any pants.

_Oh._

Memories of the night before cascaded upon him, and his throat went completely dry. Heat flooded his face, shame and confusion and a slew of emotions he couldn't place, and he cursed under his breath as he pushed himself to his feet and searched about for his trousers. He used the leg of one to dab away some of the moisture, which-god, there was so much of it, his own fluids mixed with spit-and he gnawed at his lip and rinsed the leg of the pants in the creek before tugging them back on.

_How mortifying._

Leaves crunched nearby and Ciel turned to see Hannah and Red approaching the creek, no doubt coming to retrieve him so they could continue the next leg of their journey. Ciel flushed and spun on his feet at the sight of them, his heart pounding. Had Sebastian told them what had happened?

No doubt, he answered himself. He's probably gloating about it right now, and he'll probably never let me forget, that bastard-

His panic began to grow, even when Hannah said nothing and handed him some dried meat and another apple to eat for breakfast. Ciel followed them back up the hill with trepidation, and saw that the vampyrs were regrouping to set out for the next leg of their journey. His eyes fell upon Timber, who was seated on a nearby rock as Alois tended to his wounds from the night before. Their eyes met for a brief moment but Ciel quickly looked away, unwilling to have any contact with him just yet.

"Let's get moving," said the voice of the other person Ciel was in no hurry to reunite with. His stomach tightened at the sight of Sebastian, who was at the head of the company with the older vampyrs, including Claude, who put his hand on Sebastian's shoulder and motioned over to where Ciel was standing.

Ciel's jaw tightened as Sebastian walked slowly toward him, motioning for the others to start moving the company forward.

"Good morning," Sebastian murmured, lips turning slightly upwards as he looked over Ciel from head to toe.

"Good morning," Ciel replied in turn, his face carefully expressionless. "Have you come to be a scoundrel? Because I'm not in the mood."

"Not at all," Sebastian replied, amused, and then, to Ciel's surprise, handed over his red cloak. "Take this. You humans are hardly useful when you're cold. We can't have you collapsing on us."

"Thank you," said Ciel delicately, used to the backhanded comments by now.

"And if you plan on gloating-"

"I don't," Sebastian interjected. "Unless you'd like me to." He leaned in slightly.

"Shall I describe how you taste?"

Ciel's faced burned and he rolled his eyes, snatching the cloak from Sebastian and throwing it over his shoulder as he stormed past him. Fury curled in his belly, at Sebastian for confusing him like this on a journey to be presented as some sort of offering, like a lamb for slaughter-and at himself for letting it happen.

For enjoying it.

He held the cloak around his shoulders as they walked, scaling the rest of the grey, featureless forest, and Ciel was glad to leave the wretched place behind. He walked purposefully, keeping his head held high, but his thoughts were waging a terrible battle in his head. A tangle of emotions had formed there, with confusion and shame at the forefront, and he wished he had someone to talk to. He missed Elizabeth.

It didn't help that Sebastian was being so-well, he wouldn't go so far as to call it chivalrous, but he was being borderline polite and it was unnerving. He kept adjusting the cloak around Ciel's shoulders and allowed him to take small breaks when he got tired. It left Ciel wondering how long it would last.

They stopped in another small woods that evening, and Ciel felt his magical senses prickle the moment he set foot in it. The air felt heavy, as if it had been spread with jam, thick and cloying above him. Noises, little voices like snickering were in every bush and thicket, and he was profoundly unnerved. He could remember tales his mother told him about dark magic-evil magic, the sort that he was to never dabble in, magic that spilled blood and twisted souls and cursed the air around it.

He didn't want to be here.

There was no telling the vampyrs this, despite their being victim to the same magic he could feel surrounding every particle of air around them. He wasn't at all concerned for their safety anyway, he reasoned, but still felt uneasy as he left them to make his bed somewhere he hoped Timber wouldn't find when night fell in earnest and the wildness took over.

When alone Ciel was forced yet again to face his thoughts, to try and untangle them to little to no avail. He'd blamed the change in Sebastian's demeanor for his complacency, for his surrender, but there had been something else going on. Something else was happening, something dangerous and foreign, battling in Ciel's heart, and it sickened him.

_He raped me_, Ciel thought. _He took me away from my family and friends and then he raped me. And now he's giving me away like I'm some kind of exotic pet. He's a monster. I hate him. I hate him-_

As he gathered leaves for his bedding he suddenly heard a strange sound from several yards away. It didn't sound anything like the vampyrs-it was hollow, echoing, everywhere.

A woman. Moaning.

Something about the sound drew Ciel in, enveloped him like tendrils of smoke that wound about his limbs and tugged. He walked through the brush slowly, following the sound until he reached the opening of a small tunnel underneath a large tree. It dipped low into the ground, and Ciel could see candlelight flickering in its depths.

Carefully and quietly Ciel descended the slope until the forest was behind him and he'd entered what seemed to be a small cave. The thick scent of burning incense masked the odor of several dead animals that had been hung around the ceiling, and Ciel pushed through a doorway made of hanging vines to find what was unmistakably a witch's hut.

It was dimly lit, heavily perfumed and covered in artifacts-some mundane, others demonic in appearance; Ciel saw a chair near the corner that he was horrified to discover was made from human bone, and he could see candles nestled in the bottom halves of shattered skulls. Immediately he felt the dark magic close around him, the sheer evil of the place, deep and penetrating and terrible.

He didn't belong here.

The moaning was definitely louder now, and it was coming from behind a pair of black curtains. They were somewhat sheer, so Ciel could make out what was happening-and when he glanced closer, he gasped loudly.

A man and a woman were on a straw mattress, fervidly making love. The crimson-haired woman lay on her back, naked and writhing as the bespectacled one pressed his face in between her legs. The man licked and sucked and devoured much in the way Sebastian had done to Ciel the night before, and Ciel was transfixed. He knew he ought to look away, to give them privacy-but the sight of the crimson-haired woman's face, the volume of her moaning, the pleasure she was experiencing... It was enthralling.

It made Ciel hot all over.

"Like what you see?" came a voice from behind, making his heart jump into his throat.

He spun around to see a white haired woman, who was also dressed in white robes that left little to the imagination. She had intelligent, light purple eyes that seemed unblinking like a snake's, and she was smiling calmly at him.

"I-I'm terribly sorry," said Ciel, flushing from head to toe. "I didn't mean- I'll just-"

The woman placed a finger on his lips, silencing him. "Come," she said softly, her voice deep and raspy and laced with ageless wisdom. She moved fluidly away from where the other two were entangled and sat cross-legged on the chair made of human bone. Ciel followed, both mesmerized and terrified.

"My name is Angela," the woman said. "You are a witch, are you not? Tell me your name."

"Ciel," he replied, his throat dry. "And you're correct, but-but I don't believe I'm quite the same kind as you and your friends are."

"You are correct," parroted Angela, her snake-eyes flashing. "Travelers have called my brother and sister, and I many things, but we are known most commonly as the Unholy Trinity. I see you've met Grell and William."

Ciel blushed and nodded as Grell let out another moan from beyond the curtain.

"We are brother and sisters in magic," Angela continued. "In blood oath. We have made many oaths, as you can you see..." She pushed a spellbook toward him, and he stared at it in numb horror. It was crudely bound in thick, leathery material that Ciel didn't want to believe was human skin, even though it undoubtedly was.

"Is there something we can do for you?" Angela continued in her low purr of a voice. "You must have come here for a reason. Your power drew you here, didn't it?"

Ciel swallowed as Grell's moaning got louder and more frantic. He didn't need to look to know that she was climaxing, and the sound of it made him shudder, made him ache between his legs.

"I don't want anything," he said breathlessly, his throat dry. "I- I cannot consort with your kind. Your magic is for dark things, evil things. My magic is for healing."

"Is that truly what you believe?" said Angela, leaning back in her chair. "It's a pity, really. You have so much power that you haven't even started to discover."

Ciel's eyes widened. "What do you mean?"

Angela smiled and glanced over at the black curtain, behind which Grell and William were embracing and caressing one another. She looked back over at Ciel, who was squirming uncomfortably, and gestured for him to sit.

He obeyed, sitting with his back straight and his knees pulled tightly together.

Something moved near his feet and he sucked in a gasp as he saw a snake slithering around the legs of his chair. It made its way over to Angela and she lifted it up, resting it over her shoulders and stroking it as if it were a cat.

Ciel wrestled with something internally, and it was almost as if Angela knew exactly what he was thinking about. She stood and wandered to a nearby table, and took a large bowl in hand before bringing it back and setting it before Ciel. A strange, mist-like substance swirled within it, faint purple in color, descending to depths far past the bottom of the bowl.

"Will you look within it?" she asked softly. "It will show you anything, anyone you wish to see."

Ciel stared in awe. He had heard of witches who had achieved the ability to see far beyond the limits of their eyes, but such power usually came at terrible cost.

He couldn't imagine what dark things Angela had to have done to achieve such power.

Who she'd hurt. Killed.

"Well Ciel?" Angela murmured, her eyebrow raised. "Will you look?"

Ciel shifted in his chair, wringing his hands. He was fearful to touch such magic, but his desire became too great to deny.

"I want to see my father," he blurted out. "Please, show me my father."

A light flashed through the mist like a bolt of lightning, and it swirled quickly around the bowl before it parted to reveal an image much like a reflection in water. Ciel leaned close and gasped as his house came into view-specifically, his father's bedroom. His heart clenched as he saw his father lying in bed, pale and sweaty with fever, in terrible pain. Elizabeth and Edward were there tending to him, but they both looked anxious, and Ciel felt his entire world melt around him as he stared at his father's face.

The scene disappeared, and Ciel stumbled back, dizzy with horror and grief.

"What did you see?" asked Angela in her soft, low voice, but Ciel couldn't answer right away.

_He's dying. _The words repeated themselves over and over in his head, in time with his frantic heartbeat. _He's dying. He's dying._

He felt like passing out.

Just then the black curtain rustled and Grell walked out, wrapping a sheer red robe around her naked body. She looked over at Ciel and smirked, draping herself over the back of Angela's chair. William followed, walking close to Ciel and peering at him as if he were a mildly interesting animal.

"You've caught a little mouse, Angela," he murmured. "He looks delicious. Can I eat him?"

Ciel recoiled, frightened, but Grell reached over and tugged William away.

Angela's eyes were on Ciel.

"Well?" she said, fixing her eyes on him. Ciel felt dizzy, reeling, and knew that his next question would seal his fate.

"Do you have anything for-for ailments of the heart?" His hands gripped his knees tightly, sweating. "My father is sick, and I- I've tried everything, every spell, and nothing has worked. I must know if your magic can help, if mine cannot. Please. He is- He is dying."

Angela looked mildly impressed.

"I must say I'm surprised," she said softly. "I thought you would ask for a way to escape the vampyrs, or to get revenge on the one who harmed you."

Ciel swallowed. "I'm afraid of what that would entail," he admitted in a low voice, fear curling in his heart. "Of what I would become."

Angela's eyes flashed. "Very well," she said smoothly and stood from her chair, her white robes sliding down her legs. The snake slithered off her shoulders and onto the table nearby, where Ciel could see spell components scattered about.

There were the standard herbs and compounds, but Ciel knew better than to assume that the bones and bits of tanned flesh had once belonged to animals.

He still felt sick, and deeply unnerved by the way Grell and William were staring at him from where they were draped around the bone chair like cats. Angela had began rustling through a few cupboards, grabbing ingredients, and then she began to work. Ciel watched in awe at her grace and speed, but found he had to look away when she murmured the incantation. The words were dark and terrible to hear, and he could feel the heaviness of evil in the air, of blood, of death.

When Angela was done she moved back to her chair, holding a small cloth bag in her hand. She sat in between Grell and William, who crouched catlike near her legs. Grell ran her hand over Angela's leg and thigh, stroking the exposed skin, and Angela let out a little moan of appreciation.

"S-so that will work?" Ciel asked as Angela placed the cloth bag on the table. "You are certain?"

Angela nodded. Ciel reached across the table to take the bag, but she held it back, her eyes flashing again in a way that made Ciel think of some kind of predatory lizard.

"Not so fast," she purred. "You haven't asked what we want in return yet."

A lump formed in Ciel's throat, large and tacky and obtrusive. "What must I do?" he asked, filled with dread.

"You are to give me a gift," Angela said simply. "A promise for a favor returned. Something within you that I will be in need of when the time arises. For now, I merely require a drop of your blood, to seal our contract." Her eyes flashed. "Will you do this?"

Ciel was tense, fighting against every fiber within him that demanded he walk away, forget the arrangement altogether or else risk damning his soul for eternity. His mind was stuck on the image of his father's face, though-so pale, twisted in pain, alone.

_Because I left_, Ciel thought. _I left and the last thing I said to him was something terrible. I didn't even say goodbye-_

A tear rolled down his cheek and he stubbornly brushed it away. "You must promise me," he said in a shaky voice, looking Angela in the eye. It didn't matter that her eyes seemed to drill holes through his ribcage, to the very heart of him.

"That medicine must be delivered to Vincent Phantomhive in Shady Hollow."

"A blood pact cannot be broken," Angela reminded him, her voice patient.

"All right then," Ciel croaked, and extended his hand. "I will give it. Take my blood."

Angela wasted no time in seizing his hand and slitting his finger with a knife. He winced, watching as the red blood dripped into the bowl below it, turning the mist from purple to a faint rust. Angela did the same, William and Grell watched gleefully nearby, looking still very much like cats watching their prey flail helplessly before them.

Once it was done Ciel pulled his hand back, holding it close to his heart. He felt numb.

"It is done," said Angela. "Our contract is sealed."

"May I eat him now?" William asked hopefully, and Grell shushed him.

Ciel slowly backed away from the table, feeling faint. He could hear the voice of his mother clearly then, warning him to never touch the darkness, to never let it in. Now he could feel the darkness in him swimming through his blood-all the anger and sorrow and jealousy and petty irritation he'd ever felt, the parts of him he stowed away when he practiced healing magic, rearing their heads at once.

Darkness moved in him, ever-present-and for once, he hadn't pushed it away.

He had let it take hold.

He turned and left as quickly as he could.

Ciel made his way back up toward the mossy area he'd found before, so overwhelmed he feared he might pass out. He moved to sit up against a tree, closing his eyes as he tried to pull himself together.

He wandered-thinking of his father, of Elizabeth, of Edward. Of the vampyrs, of his fate. Of Sebastian. His world was a storybook with the ending cut off, convoluted and beyond belief, and it was almost laughable how quickly and thoroughly it had changed.

He tugged his knees up to his chest and breathed slowly, sitting there for what seemed like hours. Slowly magic surrounded him, permeated the air around him, and sunk into him. It stirred his blood and pulsed in his veins, and Ciel fell easily under a spell that took hold swiftly and quietly, stealing his thoughts and twisting them into something unrecognizable as his own.

At once Ciel opened his eyes and pushed himself to his feet, and began walking back toward the vampyr's camp.

A fire was roaring in a pit below, casting dim light over the clearing, and Ciel could see various animal parts scattered about the ground. He moved carefully and quietly, darting between the trees and maintaining his distance as he peered over the side of the small cliff to where the vampyrs were gathered.

What he saw made him gasp out loud. Most of the vampyrs were eating or sleeping, but some of them were very much awake and engaging in activities that made the back of Ciel's neck turn red-hot. He could see Claude lying down near the bonfire as Alois straddled his lap, bucking his hips as he rode his cock. He was lying flat, and every time he bent a little he shoved him back down with his hands and rode him harder.

Ciel found himself staring, and it was only when something moved in his peripheral that he noticed that Alois and Claude weren't the only one engaging in such activities.

It was as if a cloud of sex and abandon had descended upon them, and Ciel had to attribute it to the witches. They had almost certainly cast some sort of spell on the lot of them, drowning them in a haze of desire, and Ciel was far from exempt- In fact, he found himself responding physically to the sights in front of him more than he'd ever thought he would, shivering and aching with every groan and slide of flesh around him.

He needed to find Sebastian.

His eyes sharp, he wandered around the edge of the small cliff until he found Sebastian lying down near a gathering of rocks, sound asleep. Ciel moved slowly toward him, feet padding on the moss around him, near silent. Sebastian stirred and Ciel froze in his tracks, not yet far gone enough to forget the fear that was always there in the presence of this man.

Not yet far gone enough, but getting there.

Sebastian blinked his red eyes as Ciel continued edging closer until he was kneeling beside him. Sebastian sat up, bleary and confused, his eyes unfocused and dark with lust.

Ciel pushed gently on his shoulders, easing him back down as he moved one leg over his lap, straddling him. The spell had taken hold of the both of them, drawing them together inexorably, pulling on something that had connected them long ago. Whatever it was, it was feeding the sex magic that the witches had cast upon them, and Ciel was drowning in it.

What happened next was a blur, a flurry of frenzied movement that didn't lend itself to thought. Sebastian hitched his pants down and stroked his thick, hard cock, eyes burning up at Ciel as the other boy slipped off his own trousers and pushed his tunic above his hips. At the sight of Ciel's half-naked body Sebastian tried to sit up again, but Ciel simply shoved him back down, knees pressing into the dirt as he spread his legs on either side of Sebastian's hips and plunged himself down.

Sebastian let out a guttural sound as his cock was swallowed by the heat of Ciel, stretching him and filling him, and his hands gripped the other boy's slender hips to maneuver his body up and down. His back arched off the dirt, sweat glistening orange in the firelight, and he grunted and growled and moaned as he fucked ruthlessly up into Ciel.

The sex was raw and animal, a writhing tangled mess of dirty flesh, spurred only by a physical need to fuck and nothing else, and Ciel was reveling in it. His eyes were half-lidded and dazed as he bucked his hips, fucking himself on Sebastian's cock, groaning at the girth of it and the way it pressed hard against his upper walls, making him shiver.

His debut into sex had been forced, had been unimaginable pain and violation, but he had no memory of it right then. All he felt then was pleasure-the scent of his own juices as they spilled down his thighs, the slapping of skin on skin, and the way he seemed to be dominating Sebastian effortlessly with every movement of his hips.

_'You have so much power'_, Angela had said,_ 'that you haven't even started to discover.' _He hadn't had to ask what she meant-he knew, even if he'd never thought about it before.

Ciel tilted his head back and groaned as the slight angle of bending back created even more delicious friction inside of him, and he reached down to rub at his clit as he fucked himself harder, faster. Sebastian's movements were frenetic, a desperate attempt to plunge himself even deeper into the wet heat, and he was panting like a dog as he rutted and bucked and squirmed. Ciel was so close, and soon his screams were added to the cries and moans of the others around him, a chorus of unbridled pleasure. He clenched rhythmically around Sebastian's cock, and soon the vampyr was coming as well, spilling deep inside Ciel's body.

The after-effect was instantaneous. Ciel felt exhaustion steal over him, and he pulled himself off of Sebastian and curled up immediately beside him. Sebastian was still for a moment, breathing heavily, then rolled over top of Ciel, staring down at him in that same curiously protective way that he had the night before.

He ducked his head down to nuzzle at his throat, then pulled back just to watch Ciel as the boy beneath him slowly fell asleep.

Ciel dreamed again. The sex magic was still working through his system, coloring all of his thoughts, but as the night grew old Ciel's dreams went to the cemetery again. They went to the woods beyond. They went back to that wild dog that became a man, a man who he saved and who then saved his life in turn so long ago.

And then that man became Sebastian.

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><p><strong>Every review makes me incredibly happy when I read them! So review more~ cx<strong>


	7. Part A: Spiraling

**It's time for a hella cliffhanger, but don't worry-Part B will be up soon, with a look into Sebastian's past from his perspective.**

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><p>Ciel awoke to the smell of grass, and the touch of dandelion seeds against his cheek. He opened his eyes groggily, shifting from where he lay on the moist ground, and found that something was holding him in place.<p>

Arms. Encircling him from behind.

Ciel's mouth felt dry. Slowly he wriggled out from Sebastian's grasp, and his eyes fell on the vampyr's sleeping face for a moment. It was strange, how young he looked. It made Ciel feel a strange sense of bitterness; he didn't feel young at all anymore. He supposed he never would again.

Feeling vaguely numb, Ciel pushed himself to his feet and wandered to the nearby stream to wash himself off. It was impossible not to reflect upon the night before. He kept reminding himself that Sebastian had been as much a victim of the witches' magic as he had, but he still felt an overwhelming amount of resentment for him. After all, Sebastian probably wouldn't feel as violated and wounded as he did. Sebastian would have just gotten what he wanted, wouldn't he?

He stripped off what remained of his clothes and washed himself, trembling with anxiety as he splashed the water over his skin. Despite the violation he still felt, he was far more concerned about the deal he had made with those witches. How could he have been certain that they'd deliver that medicine to his father? What if it had all been a ruse-and at what cost? Ciel wasn't even sure what Angela had asked of him. He'd reacted purely out of desperation, and he was furious at himself for it.

He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't realise that Sebastian had wandered into the stream and had started stripping for a bath as well. Ciel sucked in a gasp at the sight of him, recoiling, but Sebastian didn't seem to pay him much attention. Indeed, it was as if nudity was of little concern for him. He stripped and washed himself, showing no shame whatsoever, and it made Ciel envious if nothing else.

After a while, Ciel found himself actively watching Sebastian. The daylight somehow made Sebastian seem smaller, more human, and it was fascinating to see. Sebastian noticed him staring and smirked, making Ciel blush and frown.

"See something you like, little robin?" Sebastian remarked.

"Hardly," Ciel replied. "And I gave you my name. Use it." He turned away as he continued to wash himself, frustrated. Something grew in the back of his mind and swelled, and before he knew it he was turning back toward Sebastian, hands dropping down from where he'd been splashing water over his dirty skin.

"Look at me," he told Sebastian, who had bent down to wash his legs. The vampyr glanced up, curious and undoubtedly amused.

"Gladly," said Sebastian, but Ciel ignored him.

"You're hiding something," said Ciel bluntly. "I've known it since the beginning, since-" He paused, flinching at the memory, then plowed forward. "Since you bit me for the first time. You lay a blanket upon me that night, then gave me a bed, and you-you've changed, your demeanor toward me-"

"You wish for an explanation I told you I would not give," Sebastian interjected simply.

Ciel shook his head. "I no longer need one," he retorted. "I've been having these dreams ever since you took me- But they aren't simply dreams, I know it. They're memories. We know one another, you and I. We met long ago. Didn't we?"

Sebastian was utterly silent, stunned. Ciel stepped closer, paying no mind to Sebastian's nudity or his own. He was beyond caring about such things. Now, all he wanted were answers.

"What is this offering?" he demanded. "What business do you have with the city leader? All along you've led me to believe that I am nothing but a lamb for slaughter, a bargaining chip, but I no longer accept that explanation. I refuse to be kept in the dark any longer. What exactly is the purpose of this journey, Sebastian?"

Suddenly Sebastian surged forward, seizing Ciel by the wrist. His expression had gone from shocked to dangerous in a matter of seconds, though Ciel could still see a faint note of panic in his eyes.

"Are you forgetting who has the upper hand here?" Sebastian growled. "You are at my mercy, little robin. It would do you well to remember that."

"Is that so?" said Ciel softly in reply. He was frightened, but his eyes were steely, unyielding, and he refused to blink first. "But you've been nothing but a lapdog lately, haven't you?"

Sebastian growled and squeezed Ciel's wrist hard, cutting off his circulation. He seemed to wrestle with himself for a moment-and then he relaxed, slowly releasing his grip. Ciel felt air return to his lungs.

"Always full of fire, you are," Sebastian remarked, his smirk slowly returning. "It is what I find most interesting about you, little robin. Along with your tight little body, of course."

Ciel turned red and instantly covered himself up. Sebastian let out a short, barking laugh and stepped out of the creek to dry himself off, leaving Ciel for the moment-who right then felt as though he were finally chipping the way to Sebastian's humanity at last.

As morning left and afternoon was on its way to following it, the spires of the city finally came into view.

Ciel's jaw dropped as they walked across the field leading to the city gates, and he didn't make the effort to hide his awe in the slightest. He had never seen anywhere so big, sprawling and full of life, and he very nearly made a break to escape and explore once the vampyrs cleared the city limit and they were finally inside.

People were everywhere-salesmen hawking their wares, traveling performers, townspeople hurrying about on their daily errands. Ciel felt overwhelmed by the life flourishing around him, having spent so much time in the presence of death, and he couldn't stop smiling even though he was that much closer to his fate.

The younger vampyrs seemed to feel similarly. Alois kept wandering off to look at vendors, his face lighting up at the sights and sounds around his. Red went to pull him back, but soon found herself distracted by a table covered in beautiful necklaces. Ciel saw her drape one over Alois's neck and grin at her, and for a moment it seemed as though he were looking upon two regular humans and not a pair of bloodthirsty creatures of the night.

"Let's keep moving," Sebastian said at one point, but his voice could barely be heard in the bustle surrounding the group. Timber had wandered off to watch a group of street musicians with great interest, and Hannah was examining a caravan that clearly belonged to some sort of traveling circus.

"Come one, come all!" shouted the man seated outside of it. "Get your fortune told by the mysterious and wondrous Miss Unique!"

As Ciel got closer he got a better look at the man, and he gasped when he saw that he didn't have any legs. He wore a pair of patched-up trousers that were sewn around a pair of stumps, thick glasses and lurid clown makeup all over his grinning face. Ciel realized too late that he must have been staring, as the man immediately looked over at Ciel and pointed him out of the crowd.

"You two there! Care to know your future? Miss Unique will tell you for a paltry fee!"

At first Ciel didn't know who else the man was referring to, but then he saw Hannah being ushered toward the tent by another one of the performers. The man was tall, and that was all that Ciel could make of him before he too was all but dragged into the caravan and forced to sit down.

The interior of the caravan was dark but for moody lighting cast by a small lamp situated next to a crystal ball. At the table sat a curvy woman with deep brown skin and sparkling eyes, and she smiled at Ciel and Hannah as they sat next to each other with no small amount of discomfort.

"There is unease between you," said the woman in a high, melodic voice.

"To say the least," said Ciel dryly, crossing his arms over his chest. He had little respect for charlatans like these, who made a mockery of the witchcraft that thrived in his veins like lifeblood. Hannah, however, was watching the woman with great interest.

Miss Unique sat back and started chanting, waving her hands around her crystal ball. It was all Ciel could do not to roll his eyes or leave, but in the end he was too polite to do so. When she opened her eyes, they seemed to sparkles less than before. Instead they were heavy-lidded and dulled, and when she spoke her voice sounded much lower.

"I see your fate," she said slowly. "All three of you."

"Three?" Ciel snorted. "But there are only two-"

"Shh!" said Hannah, tapping him on the arm and making him flinch.

"Two of you will face death," Miss Unique continued. "One of you has already faced it. You will overcome the rift between you. You will all find love in unexpected places. Those you have loved may turn against you, but those most loyal to you will remain. In the end, love will be what saves you from the monster."

Silence rung following Miss Unique's prediction. When it was done she seemed to come out of her trance, shaking her head and blinking rapidly. Ciel raised his eyebrows at her, clearly unimpressed, but Hannah seemed to buy it all completely.

The curtain hanging over the entrance to the caravan opened and Claude stuck his head in. "What the hell are you doing?" he demanded of Hannah, and grabbed Ciel by the arm to haul him out. Hannah stood up reluctantly and followed them outside.

"What about my payment?" cried Miss Unique.

"Take this," said Claude, tossing her a necklace he had clearly stolen from a vendor.

Light flooded Ciel's vision and he squinted as he was ushered back into the throng of vampyrs, whose black cloaks were attracting quite a bit of attention from the townspeople. Sebastian paid them very little mind, and didn't seem interested in the city or any of its attractions at all. He was focused singularly on a building at the far end, which looked very much like an old cathedral. As they got closer Ciel could see that it had been condemned for some reason-its windows were boarded shut, and it clearly had not been cared for in a very long time.

The sun was hanging low in the sky as they walked away from the city square and down several winding paths. Here, Ciel could see that the city became far less decadent. Trash, dirt and rats were abundant, and vagrants and prostitutes roamed the filthy streets. A scrawny young boy approached Ciel, holding his hands out for money or food, and Ciel just stared blankly at him before he was ushered along by Claude.

At the end of a winding street they came to the back entrance of the cathedral.

Claude held Ciel with one strong hand on his shoulder and propelled him to the front of the line next to Sebastian as Sebastian walked forward and knocked on the door.

A rat scurried around Ciel's feet and he gasped, kicking it away sharply. A moment later the heavy wooden door creaked open, and a boy in an expensive-looking jacket greeted them with a bewildered expression on his pale, round face.

"What business brings you here?" he asked Sebastian after a moment, swallowing nervously.

"That is for your leader and I to discuss," Sebastian replied in a clear, stern voice. His hand closed around Ciel's bicep. "I bring tribute with me from the Hollow in exchange for an audience with him."

The round-faced boy's eyes trailed over Ciel, taking him in. He seemed uncertain.

"I will return shortly," he said curtly, turned around and closed the door.

Sebastian's grip on Ciel's arm grew tighter. Annoyed, Ciel looked up at his face and was surprised to see a tense expression there; Sebastian's jaw was tight, his eyes hard and his lips drawn into a thin line. He seemed utterly nervous and unsettled, and Ciel couldn't imagine why.

The wooden doors creaked open once more and they were once again greeted by the round-faced boy, who was accompanied by another young man in a similar expensive-looking jacket. They stepped aside, and Sebastian led Ciel by the arm past the doors into the cathedral, with the rest of the company trailing behind.

Ciel had only ever been inside the church in the Hollow, and he was struck speechless by the cathedral's interior. Though old and thoroughly settled with dust, there was an ancient grandeur there that reminded Ciel of the fairy tales he read as a boy-of stately crowns, royal feasts and magnificent hearths. Light shone through the cracks in the boarded-up windows, creating stained-glass paintings on the red carpet beneath their feet. Ciel could see crows nesting in the rafters, and cobwebs draped over intricate sculptures that were made eerie by flickering candlelight.

They walked between rows of benches until they stopped at the altar, upon which Ciel could see a young man stretched lazily on his back, swirling a goblet around idly as he stared up at the dusty drapery above them. He didn't look at them as they approached.

"Look what the cat dragged in," he drawled, and Ciel found himself instantly disliking him. He had a sneering, self-possessed tone of voice that surpassed even Sebastian's.

As he thought of Sebastian Ciel looked over at him, and saw that his expression had gone from tense to strangely complacent-but not in his eyes. His eyes were burning with fury that Ciel had never seen before, and it frightened him. What frightened him more, though, was how his expression seemed to look pleadingly at this boy, as if the fury in his eyes didn't reach the rest of his body.

He said nothing as the young man slipped from the altar with a feline sort of grace and strode toward Sebastian, taking a long drink from the goblet as his piercing light purple eyes surveyed the other's face. His lips came back faintly stained with red, and Ciel realized with a jolt that he was drinking from a cup filled with blood.

"Sebastian," he said softly, bloodstained lips curling into a smirk.

"Ash," Sebastian replied with a bow of his head. Ciel was frankly shocked to see such a thing-as, apparently, was Ash. The young man's eyebrows lifted, and he let out a short bark of laughter that echoed throughout the hall and caused a flurry of pigeons to scatter above.

"Well isn't this marvelous?" he said loudly, looking around at the company. "The gang really is all here, isn't it? They really did let all of you in. Astonishing. The boy's skull has always been on the thicker side, hasn't it boys?"

At first Ciel had no idea who Ash was speaking to-but then he saw shadows moving from the darkest corners of the church, slowly materializing as if from the darkness itself, and he was startled that he hadn't noticed them before. Just by the look of them Ciel could tell they were vampyrs as well, though they were quite different from the ones in Sebastian's company. Where Sebastian and the others were feral, filthy and dressed in rags, these boys wore clothes of rich materials that Ciel had never even seen before, and each and every one of them was as meticulously well-groomed as Ash was. They seemed more dangerous as well-if only for the way they slinked forward silently like cats hunting down their prey, as opposed to the way Sebastian and the others tended to charge blindly like rabid dogs.

"I can't imagine why you're here," said Ash softly, walking slowly toward Sebastian. He didn't stop until he was nearly pressed against him, locking his gaze, purple eyes flashing-And in an instant, Ciel felt like shoving him away. He didn't like that predatory look in his eyes, even if it was directed toward someone like Sebastian.

And Ciel hated Sebastian. Didn't he?

Not for the first time Ciel felt as though he were at a crossroads, torn from his heart's inability to reconcile his feelings for Sebastian. All the horror and resentment and outright hatred had exhausted him deeply, and he wondered if he were merely protecting himself somehow by letting go of some of it, lest it eat him alive from the inside.

Regardless of what he felt, he still found himself shocked by Sebastian's next words.

"I am returning to you," said Sebastian clearly, looking Ash in the eye. "We are here to offer you our allegiance, Ash. We have brought tribute from the Hollow... Please accept it, and allow us back into your ranks."

Ciel stared at Sebastian, dumbstruck, and gasped as he was pushed in front of Ash.

No matter how angry and torn he felt about Sebastian, it was nothing in comparison to the utter revulsion Ciel experienced in Ash's presence. The man exuded arrogance that even Sebastian couldn't match, and Ciel couldn't stand the relish in his eyes as he drank from the goblet, savoring the blood like a fine wine.

Ciel watched as Ash's tongue darted out, licking up some of the droplets around his lips.

"That isn't animal blood, is it?" Ciel said softly.

There was a resounding silence, and Ciel could feel eyes from both companies on him from all sides, as if they were all shocked by his candor. Ash looked surprised as well-until he tilted back his head and laughed, the sound echoing throughout the cathedral.

It took a moment for Ash's laughing fit to end. When he finished, he grinned down at Ciel and thrust the goblet in his direction.

"Care for a taste?" he murmured.

"No thank you," said Ciel coolly.

Ash got closer, crowding Ciel, and lifted his chin gently with a finger. "I insist," he said softly, closing his fingers around Ciel's jaw, forcing it back.

Ciel saw movement in the corner of his eye as if Sebastian had started to move and thought better of it. Ash just smirked wider-and with strength Ciel hadn't anticipated he forced Ciel's head back and tipped a large amount of the blood down his throat.

The taste was revolting-warm and metallic, coppery-and Ciel sputtered and gagged. Ash held his chin in place, keeping his head tilted back until he was forced to swallow. Once he managed to get it down Ash released him, moving so suddenly that Ciel stumbled forward and dropped to his knees on the ground. He coughed and spat, shaking wildly, desperate to get the horrid taste out of his mouth.

Ash was laughing again. "Pathetic!" he said loudly. "This tribute- He isn't even a virgin. I can smell it." He nudged Ciel with his foot. "He's nothing but a little waif from the streets, isn't he? A common, filthy whore rat. And you call this a gift."

"My gift," said Sebastian suddenly, stepping forward. "Is my allegiance."

From where he knelt Ciel could see that Sebastian's hand had knotted into a fist, tight and white-knuckled. It looked as though he were barely restraining himself from striking Ash, but Ciel couldn't imagine why. They're old friends, aren't they? Ciel thought bitterly, feeling a sense of betrayal he didn't understand.

"Oh Sebastian," Ash said softly, stepping close to Sebastian again. "Lovely Sebastian."

He reached out a hand and stroked it through Sebastian's matted hair. "I've missed you, you know. I always thought you were better than playing in the mud with the other animals. You threw so much away, you know that, don't you?"

"I am here to rectify that," said Sebastian, standing still as Ash caressed him.

"I am- I am returning to you. This is my home."

The vampyr boys were crowding in, closing around Sebastian's company. Ciel felt Claude reach down and seize him by the arm, pulling him upright. The other vampyrs in Sebastian's company looked tense as Ash's boys closed in, and Ciel could feel the hostility in the air around them. The tension was thick and suffocating, pressing in around the entirety of the cathedral, ready to burst-until Ash's laugh once again cut through the silence, ringing and uncomfortable.

"Why so tense, boys?" he said jovially. "We have here a feast, do we not?"

He reached out and seized Ciel, tugging him away from Claude.

"We will feast upon the human tonight," Ash announced, then smirked at Sebastian. "A virgin though he may not be, I cannot deny my boys such a delicious and exceptional treat." He glanced around at the crowd of vampyrs before him. "It will be a celebration! To welcome our weary travelers home."

Ciel barely had time to formulate a response when he was suddenly crowded by a thick horde of hungry vampyrs. He let out a frightened cry as he was wrenched away from Sebastian and the others, and he looked around at them as if desperately searching for help he knew would not come.

Honestly, what had he expected? He knew from the day he was taken that he was to be an offering-and yet the sense of betrayal and deep anguish poisoned his heart and bones, and he could only look in despair at the faces of the people he'd come to regard as unlikely yet steadfast companions as they watched his fate unfold. He'd never felt so utterly alone, and he could only struggle helplessly as he was dragged across the floor, lifted and tied down to the altar.

He cried out in fear as fangs flashed around him, but Ash's voice rang out once more, stopping them.

"Calm down boys," he ordered them. "We feast once we give our guests a proper tour of their new accommodations. Where are your manners?"

Ciel heard some of the vampyr boys mutter in disappointment as they pulled away, leaving him tied there on the altar. He saw Ash gesture to the company to follow him down a nearby hallway, where the cathedral seemed to open up to another building. The crowd of vampyrs spilled through, their footsteps echoing through the hollow walls, and Ciel caught Sebastian's eyes just before they left.

They lingered for just a moment, and Ciel could say nothing. A tear rolled down across his cheek into his hair and he closed his eyes, unable to look any more.

* * *

><p><strong>Review or Ciel dies...<strong>


	8. Part B: Spiraling

**Phew. Here it is, the second part of Chapter 7. This is definitely the most disturbing chapter yet, so brace yourselves.**

**Additional warnings for this chapter include implied non-con and castration, but not for any of the major characters. Also past Sebastian/Ash, for those who are squicked by that. Er, enjoy.**

* * *

><p>Sebastian reached up and brushed several low-hanging cobwebs out of his face, silent and expressionless as the company left the cathedral and descended into a maze of dimly lit catacombs. The paths were narrow and stuffy, the ground streaked with filth and crawling with rats. Sebastian kicked one out of the way as he followed Ash, ignoring the puzzling looks the members of his company were giving him as they walked for what felt like miles. He did, after all, know exactly where they were going.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"Hey. You, boy."<em>

_Sebastian had been on his way home from the schoolhouse, holding his jacket tightly around himself as the brisk cold air chilled his skin. He looked over at the source of the voice, his cheeks flushed pink with cold, and squinted through the slowly falling snowflakes at a boy sitting on the church steps._

_"Yes?" said Sebastian carefully, walking closer-but not too close. His mother had warned him to be wary of strange people in the city._

_"Do you have any matches?" the boy asked. He looked to be around Sebastian's age, and was dressed in expensive-looking clothes just like he was. He was holding an unlit cigarette, and his lavender eyes flashed as he smiled at Sebastian._

_"I'm afraid I do not," Sebastian replied, and eyed the cigarette, his lips tightening. "Do your parents allow you to smoke? My mother forbids it, as she despises the smell."_

_"Do you do everything your mommy tells you?" the boy drawled, smiling mysteriously. Sebastian wasn't sure why, but that smile made his heart flutter like a bird taking flight._

_"That's no reason to make fun," Sebastian replied with a scowl, folding his arms._

_"Oh?" The boy paused for a moment, seeming to think. "Shall I make fun of your school clothes, then?"_

_Sebastian blushed and huffed, turning to leave._

_"Wait," said the boy, springing to his feet._

_Sebastian sighed and looked up at him, his expression impatient. The boy stuck the cigarette in the pocket of his coat and held out his hand._

_"Ash," he said._

_Raising his eyebrows, Sebastian looked down at the hand, then back up at Ash's face, which was grinning._

_"Come now," Ash laughed. "There's no reason to get angry. I like to tease cute boys like you."_

_Sebastian's blush darkened, his heart fluttering anew. No boy had ever said something like that to him before. It was so bold, and for a moment he was almost certain he hadn't heard it. He swallowed and reached out to grasp Ash's hand and shake it._

_"Sebastian," he replied._

_Ash shook Sebastian's hand, still flashing that dazzling smile. "Well Sebastian," he said. "Shall I walk you home?"_

* * *

><p>The Academy Sebastian attended was every bit as beautiful as he had remembered-all ornate wood and delicate coils of iron, lavish paintings and crystal windows-though it had aged significantly over the years. A thin veil of dust had settled over everything, and it almost pained Sebastian to see a place that had featured so prominently in his youth fall to ruin.<p>

He dragged his hand over a window sill, and stared at the grey film of dust on his palm. He heard Ash's footsteps nearby, but didn't look at him.

"Brings back memories, does it not?" Ash murmured. "Your silly little school."

"It was once yours too," Sebastian replied, looking out at the slate-grey, overcast sky outside.

"For a time," Ash replied, leaning against the window sill beside him. "Now, it is what my company calls home. I am certain yours will settle in well enough. Perhaps they will help rid us of some of the rats."

Sebastian looked at Ash then, scowling.

"What?" Ash laughed. "Still so easily offended, even after all this time! You are far too serious, Sebastian. Surely all your years as a vampyr have shown you the great irony of life. How simple and banal it is at the best of times... And those humans."

He turned his head, looking down at the streets below. where beggars and vagrants wandered about in the cold, and his lip curled in distaste.

"What a miserable existence," Ash murmured. "A desperate struggle to survive and endure their own weakness, only to die in the gutters, remembered by no one."

Sebastian said nothing. His eyes followed Ash's to the streets, and his mind wandered.

* * *

><p><em>The snow had started to fall in large, feather-like flakes upon the city-beautiful to behold for those nestled within warmth, and a death sentence for anyone outside it. Sebastian's family was tightly gathered in a festive revel indoors, enjoying rich food and abundant wine and an always-flickering hearth, and the warm light and laughter from inside the house could be heard through the windows as Sebastian stepped outside into the lightly tumbling snow.<em>

_He often grew tired of his parents' insistence on attending parties like these, where they and other upper class families mingled to flaunt their wealth and gorge themselves on food and drink. While Sebastian loved his family and was grateful for his lifestyle, it often became stifling._

_What he loved more than any of that was the fresh air-and while the city was growing filthier by the day, the snow was pure and untouched, descending from the sky on a lazy drift down from the heavens. Sebastian closed his eyes and tilted back his head to catch a few flakes on his tongue, and gasped when he heard a voice nearby laugh at him._

_"Ash?" Sebastian turned to look at a familiar face. "I didn't realize you'd left as well."_

_Ash stepped out from the side of the house, smoking a cigarette as usual. He moved to stand next to Sebastian, hands buried deep in his pockets for warmth._

_"I can hardly tolerate my father's boasting on a normal day," Ash replied. "He is only a humble man when it suits him, I suppose."_

_"You are hardly one to talk," Sebastian teased, nudging his friend._

_"Say what you will," Ash countered. "You are the one attending that swotty school, all set to become a fat old banker like your Daddy."_

_"You attended that school as well."_

_"Not anymore."_

_Sebastian raised his brows, peering at Ash through the snow._

_"My father has made me the blacksmith's apprentice," Ash explained. "He says he wishes for me to learn honest work. As if he has any clue what that means."_

_"Perhaps you'll learn something," Sebastian offered._

_"Oh please." Ash rolled his eyes. "If I learned my destiny were to be a blacksmith, I'd throw myself off the cathedral roof to spare myself the indignity."_

_Sebastian was quiet for a moment, searching Ash's face. His sharp, striking beauty was dimly illuminated by the light from nearby window, wreathed in smoke, and Sebastian found it captivating._

_"What is it you want, then?" he said softly. "You despise the rich, and you mock the poor. Is there anything that would truly satisfy you in this life, Ash?"_

_Ash was quiet for a while in return, looking out at the surrounding city, which was slowly becoming blanketed by snow._

_"I want more," he said softly. "Our parents have our lives mapped out for us until we die, and to defy them is to condemn ourselves to the life of a vagrant or worse. There must be more to life than such a grim reality, don't you think? More freedom... More power. Like the adventurers in the old tales- No rules, no limits. __A beautiful, unexplored world that is ours for the taking."_

_"Your eyes see much farther than mine," Sebastian murmured. "I can only see what has already be laid out before me."_

_"You can come with me," said Ash softly, lowering his cigarette and turning his face toward Sebastian's._

_Sebastian's heart fluttered wildly in his chest, and his throat went dry. "To where?"_

_Ash's fingers pressed lightly against the bottom of Sebastian's chin, lifting it upward._

_"Here is a good place to start," Ash whispered in reply, and he leaned down to kiss Sebastian on the mouth. He tasted like smoke and sherry and something exciting and unexplored, a journey on which Sebastian was all too happy to embark._

_He closed his eyes and kissed back._

* * *

><p>"Sebastian? Lost in your own little world again?"<p>

Ash's voice pulled Sebastian away from his thoughts, and he turned away from the window, drawn toward the line of portraits on the other side of the wall. There was a row depicting busts of all the previous headmasters, and below were renderings of the student body over the years before the school closed down.

After a moment's searching he found his own face, and it was like looking into the eyes of a stranger. He reached out and traced the smooth jaw line with the tip of his finger, eyes distant, and tried to remember the boy in the picture. That boy who existed two hundred years ago, who laughed and cried and smiled and believed, who had faith in his family and in his friends and in the goodness of people- That boy who was once confident that his life would end someday, that he'd die an old man in his bed after having lived to the fullest, that he wouldn't end up a twisted tortured thing wandering the world for far longer than any human should-a walking corpse.

"What happened?" he asked Ash after a long period of silence. "Why did the school close down?"

Ash raised his eyebrows. "Time happened, my dear Sebastian," he replied, amused. "It's been two hundred years. It simply decayed along with the rest of this filthy city."

"Why are you still here?" Sebastian murmured, still staring at the painting. "You have always despised this place."

"Ah, but now it is in the palm of my hand," Ash replied. "We and the humans have struck a deal. We coexist so long as they allow us to prey upon their criminals and disposables. And with the city decaying more and more every day... Let us just say that we have yet to go hungry."

"And you hate humans," Sebastian remarked. "You always have."

"They'll all kill each other eventually," said Ash, eyes roving over the row of portraits. "And we will outlive them. You may yet see it one day, Sebastian..."

He turned to Sebastian, and smiled. "What I did to you? It saved your life."

Sebastian was silent, falling into darkness again.

* * *

><p><em>Sebastian's boots crunched through the thick snow as he made his way to the old cathedral after school, eager to meet with Ash. His parents had no idea what he was up to, but he was growing less and less concerned about what they desired of him. Being with Ash made him feel more free and happy than anything he could imagine- Just being near him made his heart take flight, his imagination soar.<em>

_This time, though, Ash seemed different. His hands shook as he lit his cigarette, and Sebastian gasped as he saw bruises peeking out from the other boy's sleeves._

_"Ash!" Sebastian cried, taking his friend's arm. "What is this? What happened?"_

_"It's nothing," Ash muttered. "Just bruises from work."_

_The way he was moving-stiffly, as if he were in pain-seemed to signify otherwise. Sebastian took his face in his hands, looking deeply into his eyes, earnest._

_"Let me see," he said softly. "Show me."_

_There was a long moment of silence, and then Ash slipped off his coat. Sebastian watched without breathing as Ash unbuttoned and parted the collar of his shirt, revealing bruises and what looked terribly like bite marks all over his neck and chest. They trailed down beneath the fabric of his clothes, and Sebastian could only imagine where they continued._

_"It the blacksmith, wasn't it?" Sebastian whispered. "We have to tell someone."_

_"No," said Ash vehemently, buttoning up his shirt again. "No, you won't say a word. I forbid it."_

_"But Ash-"_

_"I said no."_

_Ash's voice was loud, strangled, painful to hear. Sebastian fell silent, stunned by the pain he heard, the depths of which he could never understand. He moved close to Ash again, frightened, desperate to give comfort he knew he never could._

_"Sebastian," said Ash, much more softly now. He trailed his hand over Sebastian's cheek, tracing the youthful lines of his face. "My dear Sebastian. Kiss me."_

_Sebastian was uncertain, uncomfortable, and he had no time to respond before Ash's mouth pressed against his, hot and desperate. He let it happen, lost in the taste of the boy he felt so much for, his hands cradling Ash's face like something precious and breakable._

_When Ash pulled away, his eyes were flashing again. "Run away with me," he said suddenly._

_Sebastian stared. "What? Now?"_

_"Yes," said Ash feverishly, grabbing Sebastian by the shoulders. "Let's you and I leave right now. Leave this wretched city and our foolish, insipid families... Have an adventure, like we said we would. We can be free, truly free- Together."_

_Sebastian felt like a rug had been pulled out from under his feet. He searched Ash's face, at an utter loss. "Ash..." he murmured, faltering._

_"What?" Ash demanded, his eyes alight with manic excitement. "You said you'd come with me, didn't you?"_

_"I cannot just leave my family," said Sebastian desperately. "I cannot simply-take to the wind on a wing and a prayer, Ash. And neither can you! We can't survive out there. If we leave now we shall die or worse- We aren't immortal, Ash."_

_Dark, cold, terrible silence fell between them. Ash let go of Sebastian's shoulders, drawing back, looking utterly betrayed. There was something in his eyes that frightened Sebastian, and he was torn between wanted to soothe it away and wanting to run in the opposite direction._

_"You're just like them," he said in a low voice. "Like all the others, puffed-up birds who are too afraid to leave their golden perches-"_

_"I'm not!" Sebastian shouted. "I just- I worry for you, Ash." A pause. "I- I love you."_

_Ash fell silent, stunned by the admission. He stared at Sebastian for a long time, and he suddenly seemed very small, thin and frail next to the stately statue of Christ beside him._

_"I'll find a way," he said softly._

_"Ash, please," said Sebastian, taking a cautious step forward. "Come home with me. I can treat those bruises, and you can have something hot to eat... No one has to know."_

_"I don't want your help," Ash snapped, but he looked wounded. "I'll meet with you again tomorrow. I have to go."_

_He pulled on his coat and turned to leave, and Sebastian shouted after him, desperate._

_"Go where?"he cried, voice echoing throughout the cathedral._

_"To become immortal," Ash called back, and then he was gone._

* * *

><p>The church was deathly quiet but for the howling of the wind through the rafters, the distant cooing of pigeons and the occasional scratching of rats on the ground.<p>

Ciel's stomach turned as he thought of one of those rats crawling up onto the altar, and concentrated harder on getting himself free.

There was nothing for it- The knots were so tight they were digging into his wrists, and there was nothing within reach that he could use to cut them. He longed for something, some presence of magic in the air at least to comfort him, but everything around him was stale and dead. There hadn't been the faintest whisper of magic around him since he first entered this dreadful city.

The smell around Ciel was terrible. Mildew and dust and rot mingled in the air-and occasionally Ciel would get a whiff of old blood, unmistakable, and he knew it must have come from the altar he was lying upon. Just how many people had been sacrificed here? Countless, more than likely.

_And now I am to join them_, he thought.

His head fell back and he despaired, exhausted in body and soul, defeated. He'd never been one to give up on anything easily, but he felt like his spirit had been beaten into submission, that the fight in him had been utterly exhausted. Closing his eyes, he thought of Elizabeth, of his father, of Edward- And then he thought of his mother, whose face grew more and more distant in his memory every single day.

He'd be meeting her again soon.

* * *

><p><em>It had been a few weeks since Ash and Sebastian had their disagreement, and things were slowly getting back to normal. Sebastian had made a point not to press Ash about what had happened with the blacksmith, but he couldn't help but notice whenever Ash showed up with more bruises or walking with a limp, and it was all Sebastian could do not to say something. He felt altogether useless, and frightened at himself for how much he wanted to hurt that man for doing those things to Ash. He'd never entertained violent thoughts before in his life-but lying in bed at night, inches away from sleep, he found himself contemplating those things in the darkest corners of his mind. He was just in the middle of a particularly terrible fantasy involving bringing one of those hot iron rods down on the blacksmith's balding head when he heard a tapping at his window.<em>

_He gasped, straightening up, and fumbled in the dark for his lamp. He lit it quickly and held it at the window, and was surprised to see Ash's face outside._

_"Ash!" he said in a harsh whisper as he opened the window. "What are you doing here?"_

_Ash crawled through his window and onto his bed, flushed with winter chill and intense excitement. He grinned at Sebastian, reaching out to hold his shoulders._

_"I couldn't wait to tell you," Ash said breathlessly. "I met a man. At first I assumed he was just a boy like us, but he's near a hundred, Sebastian, and he hasn't aged a day-"_

_Sebastian's eyes narrowed as he tried to make sense of what he was hearing. He was half convinced he were still dreaming._

_"What in the world are you talking about?" he said helplessly._

_"Sebastian- My love, he is immortal!" Ash exclaimed, shaking Sebastian gently._

_"I did not believe it at first, but he knows things, Sebastian, he has found a way- And he said he will show it to me, to both of us! At last, we can have what we've always dreamed of!"_

_Sebastian stared for a long time, flabbergasted. He had no idea what to say._

_"Sebastian," Ash urged, taking Sebastian's face in his hands. "Darling, say something."_

_"How?" Sebastian said at last. "Did he tell you how?"_

_"Not yet," said Ash. "But I'll find out- For now, just... Please say you'll come with me. You'll come with me, won't you?"_

_Ash's eyes were full of hope, of fear, of everything Sebastian felt in his heart. He was beautiful, and Sebastian wouldn't have been able to say no even if he had wanted to._

_He took Ash's face in his hands and kissed him deeply._

_"I will," he said softly, running his thumb over the fading bruise on Ash's cheek. "I will come with you."_

_Ash laughed, a pure sound filled with joy, and kissed Sebastian again. When they parted, he took both of Sebastian's hands in his own._

_"Meet me tomorrow," he said in a hushed voice. "After classes, outside the cathedral, as we always do. I'll introduce you."_

_Sebastian just nodded. Ash leaned in to kiss his cheek, then pulled away to climb out the window again, to vanish into the night._

_Sebastian went to the cathedral after classes as he'd promised, but Ash wasn't there. He wasn't there the day after, either._

_Initially, Sebastian simply felt hurt and betrayed- And then he started to worry._

_Ash wouldn't simply abandon him like that, especially not now. He set about asking around the city, and sure enough, no one had seen any sign of Ash for two days. Sebastian began to despair, trapped and alone in his fear and grief, at a complete loss for what to do._

_Then one evening when returning home from school he heard someone approach him from behind, and then his arm was grabbed and he was yanked toward the old cathedral. He was ready to open his mouth and cry for help- But then he saw Ash's face, and instead let out a sigh of relief that came from his entire body._

_"Oh Ash," he cried, throwing his arms around the other boy. "My God. I was so worried-"_

_The other boy felt stiff and cold in his arms, at at first Sebastian paid little mind to it, too caught up in his own flurry of emotion. When he pulled away though to touch Ash's face, to look him over, to see him, he felt his heart roll out of his chest and fall onto the snow-covered ground._

_Ash was covered in cuts- And from what, Sebastian couldn't possibly fathom._

_They weren't scattered over his skin like they might have been if he'd been attacked; instead, they formed bizarre patterns that seemed almost tribal in origin, traveling down his neck to beneath the collar of his shirt and over every inch of skin that was exposed. Sebastian could scarcely imagine what the rest of him must have looked like._

_"My God," he said again, taking Ash's wrist in hand so he could run a finger along the cuts there. "What happened to you? Who did this to you?"_

_Ash's expression was eerily calm. A small smile tugged at his lips as he turned his hand, lacing his fingers with Sebastian's._

_"Come," was all he said, and he tugged Sebastian through the churchyard and into an area of the city Sebastian had never seen before. It was dark and filthy, empty but for a smattering of vagrants and clusters of rats and stray animals._

_Frightened, Sebastian clutched Ash's hand as they moved through twisted, dark paths, descending deep into the city's underbelly._

_They arrived in an empty lot outside an abandoned building, where several crude-looking torches had been set up. A few others had gathered there-and from the looks of it, Ash knew them. As Sebastian moved closer he could see that they had the same cuts and scars that Ash did._

_"Ash," he said softly. "Who are these people?"_

_"They are my kinsmen," said Ash at last. There was a wild energy in his eyes that frightened Sebastian, and he began to feel the urge to run._

_"Your kinsmen?" he repeated. "What-?"_

_Sebastian was cut off by the sound of a struggle nearby. He turned toward it, and his mouth fell open in horror as he saw a pair of young men wrestling a man to the ground. The man pitched forward, bound and gagged, and Sebastian realized with a jolt that it was the blacksmith._

_"I told you," Ash continued, speaking to Sebastian, "that I would become immortal. I have been given a gift, Sebastian. And I would like you to see it before I give it to you."_

_Sebastian stood utterly still, paralyzed with fear. Ash crouched down near the blacksmith, who was bleeding in several places and clearly terrified. Ash was utterly calm, gently pushing the man's beefy shoulder so he was rolled onto his back._

_The blacksmith let out a frightened sound and Ash mimicked him, mock-pouting as he tugged the gag out of the man's mouth._

_"I want to hear you scream," he said softly._

_"Foolish boy!" cried the blacksmith, his voice tight with fear. "Your father-"_

_"My father is a wretched old fool," said Ash lightly, tilting his head playfully. "He's next, once I'm finished with you, along with whatever insipid little trollop he's been sharing his bed with this week."_

_"Ash," said Sebastian in a strained voice. "What in the world is this? What is going on?"_

_"Silence, Sebastian," Ash snapped. He looked over at one of the other boys, who was standing next to a man who had to be the one who claimed he was immortal._

_He was looking at Ash with a distinct sense of pride in his eyes, as if he were looking upon his own masterpiece._

_"Give me the knife," Ash ordered, and held out his hand for the other boy to place the blade within it. The man's eyes widened in horror, and Sebastian's stomach dropped._

_"Ash," said Sebastian again, but his voice was drowned out by the blacksmith's sudden shouting._

_"Help!" the man screamed, struggling in his bonds. "Someone help-"_

_Ash cuffed him hard in the face, then straddled the man's hips. He made a shushing noise, then sat back so he could start undoing the man's trousers._

_Sebastian felt sick, but couldn't bring himself to look away. Something about the man's screaming felt satisfying to him, and the very thought was horrifying._

_"I wish to cut off little bits of you," said Ash in a sing-song voice. "I want you to bleed before I kill you. I think I'll start with your fat, ugly prick-"_

_"No, oh God, please, no-"_

_Ash laughed. "I said no, didn't I? But you never listened, you put this filthy thing inside me anyway-"_

_The knife came down, and Sebastian looked away. The blacksmith's screams echoed through the hollow buildings around them, but no one was around to hear. It was silent all around them, so Sebastian could hear the knife cutting through the flesh, the splattering of blood on the snow, and the cruel sound of Ash's laughter underneath the man's tortured cries._

_What Sebastian did then he would regret for the rest of his life. His stomach was turning, twisting, threatening to empty itself through his mouth, but he opened his eyes and looked back at Ash anyway. What he saw was not the boy he knew, the boy he loved- What he saw was a monster._

_Ash's eyes were gleaming in the torchlight, his pale skin streaked with blood._

_He'd dropped the piece of the man he had severed, and instead lifted his bloody hand to his lips and pressed his fingers deep into his mouth. He sucked away all the blood, and his teeth- His teeth were filed sharp like a beast's, and his tongue was darting around them, lapping up the blood as if relishing it, and his laughter was sinful, inhuman-_

_Sebastian turned away and ran._

_His feet slipped and slid on the ice and snow as he scrambled away as fast as he could, with no clear idea of where he was going. He just needed to get away, as far away as he could, faster, faster- His foot hit a particularly slippery patch of ice and he tripped, sliding several inches before toppling over and landing on his back underneath a stone bridge. His head collided with the wall and his entire body exploded with pain, his vision blurring- He blinked rapidly, trying to stop the world from spinning, and he sucked in a terrified gasp as he heard footsteps approaching from the other side of the bridge._

_"No-" he groaned. "No, get away-"_

_The echoes of the footsteps got louder, and Sebastian felt someone crouch over him and brush a hand gently through his hair._

_"Shh," came Ash's voice as Sebastian began to lose consciousness. "It will be all right, my love. Soon we'll be together forever..."_

_The world closed in, and Sebastian slipped away into blackness._

* * *

><p>The catacombs beneath The Academy were once again echoing with the sound of many footsteps as the group of vampyrs, now vast, moved back into the cathedral. Ash walked close to Sebastian, and at one point Sebastian could feel the other's cold fingers brush his own, reaching out like a child. He pretended not to notice it.<p>

When they returned to the cathedral, Ciel was still there. Sebastian watched him with numb eyes, at his little robin whose fight had all but died, whose beautiful skin was marred by rope burn and bitter tears. He said nothing.

Ash seemed to watch him more closely than before, a dangerous smirk playing on his lips as he walked back up the dais to the altar. Ciel began to struggle anew as Ash reached into his coat and pulled out a long steel dagger, stared in horror as its blade flashed in the candlelight.

"My friends," he announced, holding the blade up high. "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. As promised, we will slay and eat the witch- But first, I believe one of us has something to prove."

Sebastian stared hard at Ash, his eyes unblinking as Ash beckoned him up to the dais. He walked there slowly, and accepted the knife as Ash handed it over to him.

"My Sebastian," said Ash softly. "As much as I love you, you cannot expect me to trust you to come back to me so simply. Therefore, I wish for you to commit the deed. It should be simple enough. Go on... Kill the little human."

Sebastian tightened his fingers around the hilt of the dagger and stepped close to the altar. He looked down at Ciel's terrified face, saw the light completely die from the boy's eyes, and lifted the dagger up high.

Slowly the world came back into focus, but it was not one that Sebastian recognized.

* * *

><p><em>He seemed to be in some sort of basement; the stench of rot assaulted his nostrils, and there was no light but for dimly lit torches hanging nearby. He went to move, and realized in horror that he had been tied down to a table, stripped of his shirt and shoes.<em>

_"Wh-what-" He began to panic, struggling against his bonds._

_"Hush Sebastian," came a voice from nearby. "Be a good boy."_

_Sebastian's eyes darted around in horror, and he saw Ash and the other creatures gathered around him, closing in like hungry animals. They were all holding tools-knives and hooks and fire irons-brandishing them, edging closer, bloodthirsty._

_"It'll be over before you know it," Ash whispered, stroking Sebastian's hair. "Once we finish the ritual, we'll be together always, just like you promised."_

_"Ash, what- What is this? What-"_

_Ash said nothing. He reached over and took a small, thin blade from one of the vampyrs nearby. He stepped close, and Sebastian began to panic in earnest._

_"God, no! What are you doing? Stop-"_

_"Hush," said Ash again. "After the first cut is done, you'll barely feel the rest."_

_He turned Sebastian's arm and began to carve, and the stagnant air was soon filled with the sound of Sebastian's screams._

* * *

><p>Sebastian spun around and brought the dagger down, slicing it across Ash's throat.<p>

The reaction was instantaneous. There was an outcry, and Ash's vampyrs swarmed toward the dais, trying to reach Sebastian. Sebastian's company was ready, though, countering swiftly, and the cathedral was suddenly a bloodbath.

Fangs flashed and claws tore as the vampyrs fought one another with no intent but to kill. Ciel could only watch in horror and struggle to wrap his mind around the reality of what had occurred.

Sebastian hadn't stabbed him. He wasn't an offering at all. Sebastian was saving him.

Ash's body crumpled to the floor, and before Ciel could properly react Sebastian was on top of him and cutting through the ropes on his left wrist. They were thick and tied tightly, so it took him a considerable amount of time to cut through them-and by the time he got the left wrist free and had started working on the right, Ash had gotten to his feet once more.

"Sebastian, look out!" Ciel shrieked, and Sebastian spun around just as Ash reached out to claw him hard across the face. Sebastian stumbled and dropped the dagger, and Ciel watched in horror as it clattered to the floor.

Ciel expected Sebastian to go and get it-urged him to, even-but Sebastian hadn't moved. Instead he was back on top of Ciel, struggling to get the other knot undone with his claws alone. Blood dribbled from the gashes on his face, splattering Ciel's cheek, and Ciel just stared at him, dumbstruck.

Amid the flurry of movement and noise around them, Ciel could hear laughter.

Ash had quickly appropriated the dagger and was walking back toward the altar, looking down at the scene with no shortage of amusement.

"What a turn of events," he laughed, blood seeping through his shirt from the swiftly healing cut at his throat. "Not altogether unexpected. This part, though..."

"Sebastian, what are you doing?" Ciel cried. "He's coming!"

Sebastian just kept working on the knot, but before it could come undone Ash was behind him with the knife raised. Sebastian screamed and blood splattered Ciel as Ash brought the dagger down, slicing it through Sebastian's shoulder.

"No!" Ciel screamed. "Stop it!"

Ash pulled the knife free and continued to drop small, quick stabs all over Sebastian's back. They were swift and brutal, but none deep enough to cause any lasting damage. Indeed, it seemed as though Ash were only intending to cause Sebastian pain and nothing else. He continued his assaults with the dagger then moved away to take a candlestick in hand instead.

Sebastian didn't move. He kept his position on top of Ciel, shielding him, and another horrible scream tore from his throat as Ash dribbled hot wax from the candle all over the cuts on his back. All around them, throats were torn and limbs were ripped away, splashing the statues of saints and the stained glass windows with blood.

Ciel sobbed as Sebastian trembled and screamed in agony, and he tried in vain to push Sebastian off of him. Ash was laughing.

"This is truly a marvel," said Ash, and there was a definite bitterness in his tone.

"Do you **love** that little human, Sebastian? Have you really sunk so low?"

Sebastian didn't respond. His eyes met Ciel's for a second as Ash continued to rain down blows, and Ciel had never seen such an expression on his face before.

Sebastian's eyes were deep, human, echoing with years upon years of pain that Ciel couldn't even begin to fathom. Then he was working on the knot again, and Ciel didn't even realize it was gone until Sebastian was hefting him up off the altar and pushing him to the ground.

Ciel fell roughly onto the dais and rolled onto all fours to push himself to his feet.

He looked around frantically and met eyes with Timber, who had pulled Alois away from the battle.

"Get him out!" Sebastian's voice roared over the noise. "Get Ciel out of here!"

Ciel's head whipped around and he saw Sebastian's battered body upright again as he faced down Ash. It was the last thing he could see before he felt his arm grabbed and he was yanked away from the dais and down the aisle.

"Wait!" he shrieked as Timber manhandled him and Alois through the flurry of movement, all but dragging them to the back door.

Through the swirl of color and sound Ciel could see Claude, Hannah and the others fighting to defend them from their attackers, but he could see no sign of Sebastian. He had no time to look back to see how he was faring. He could only let himself be dragged away from the bloodshed and outside into the crisp, cold air, which was frighteningly silent in comparison.

They didn't stop running for a long time, and Ciel had no idea where they were headed. All he could think of was what he was leaving behind.

* * *

><p><strong>And that is that for this chapter. Fucked up, aye? I hope it wasn't confusing with all the switching between present time and the past. Review for more!<strong>


	9. Rising

**An extra long chapter for you guys this time! It's pretty CielxEdward-heavy, so...well, you knew...Enjoy this chapter though!**

* * *

><p>Clouds hung thick and dark in the sky above them as Ciel, Timber and Alois fled the cathedral as fast as their legs could carry them. They made their way through several winding paths until Alois stopped them, tugging on Timber's sleeve and pointing back in the direction of the cathedral, groaning.<p>

"Are you mad?" said Timber breathlessly. "We cannot go back there."

Alois just moaned louder, distress written on his face as he tugged and gesticulated.

"We should keep moving," Ciel advised, though he too were fighting the urge to turn back.

Timber pried his sleeve free from Alois's grip and took him gently by the shoulders.

"Claude would not wish for you to be in harm's way," he told him softly, touching his cheek. "He will be all right. Come, we must keep moving-"

As if on cue, Ciel heard rapid footsteps behind them. Timber seized Alois by the hand and they took off running once more-and sure enough, when Ciel glanced back he could see several of Ash's vampyrs gaining on them.

Ciel's head was spinning, his heart pounding. It was nearly night, which meant that soon Timber and Alois would be feral and he would be left to his own devices. He couldn't keep running forever- There had to be a place where he could hide, at least until the sun came up.

He had no time to think. A vampyr managed to catch up with him and swooped upon him, knocking him to the ground. He heard Alois shriek and Timber let out a vicious snarl, and the last thing he saw was Timber jumping in front of him to fend off his attacker.

Then his head hit the pavement, and he blacked out.

* * *

><p><em>"Hello? Are you awake? Are you...hurt?"<em>

_"No... I am starving. If I do not feed soon, I...I will die a wretched death."_

_"I do not have any food... I can go and bring some back with me?"_

_"No, child... I-I require blood. But I cannot request that of you-"_

_"My mother told me to always help others when I can. I can give you just a little blood, if that is all you'll eat. Here... Drink from my arm."_

* * *

><p>The world slowly came into focus. Ciel fully expected to be lying upon the cold stone ground-or worse, back in the vampyr's captivity-but instead he found a straw mattress beneath him, and a blanket draped over his prone form. He stirred, blinking rapidly to clear his vision, and he heard someone approach from nearby.<p>

"Oh, thank goodness. That wound on your head had me worried... Are you all right?"

He knew that voice.

Slowly he pushed himself up, rubbing the back of his head where his wound still throbbed painfully. A quick look around told him that he was inside a caravan-the very circus caravan he'd seen earlier that day, which meant…

"Miss Unique?" he mumbled. "Is it you?"

"Yes, child," replied Miss Unique, bringing a bucket of water and a washclosh to his makeshift bedside. "Your companions brought you here and told me everything."

"Where are they?" Ciel asked as Unique dabbed at his brow with the washcloth.

"They agreed to travel alongside us," she replied.

"Alongside..." Ciel's voice trailed off as he realized they were moving. He moved away from Unique's administrations and pushed the curtains above him aside, revealing a window. A quick glance outside showed him that the caravan had long since left the city.

"Where are we?" he asked, a lump growing in his throat. Though he seemed to be out of danger for the time being, he had no idea what was in store for him now.

"Heading toward Spire Woods now," said a new voice. Ciel looked up to see the tall, black-haired man who had pushed him to get his fortune told before. He walked over to Unique and sat beside her.

"Spire Woods?" Ciel inquired.

"West of the city," the man replied. "And, in day's time, Shady Hollow. We were told you live there, yes? Your friends instructed us to take you there, in exchange for a venue for our circus."

Ciel's eyes were wide. He almost couldn't believe it.

He was going home.

Tears must have filled his eyes then, because Unique reached out to pat his arm soothingly. "Poor child," she said softly. "You've been through so much, haven't you? Blast those wicked creatures."

"You know of the vampyrs?" Ciel asked, his voice trembling.

"Everyone knows of the vampyrs," the black-haired man replied, suddenly angry.

"They've had an iron hold on the city for years. They've killed many people...including some of our loved ones." His throat seemed to tighten then, and he looked away, deeply troubled.

"My friend here has no love for them," Unique finished for him. "But we know your companions mean us no harm. Besides, we've been dealing with all manner of creatures for years throughout our travels. It takes a considerable lot to frighten us."

Ciel looked between the two performers, suddenly nervous. "Why are you helping me?" he asked in a quiet voice. "You know nothing of the sort of person I am. I could rob you blind."

Unique smiled, her eyes sparkling just like they had when she'd told his fortune before. "You seemed dubious before," she explained. "But I assure you, my clairvoyant abilities are entirely genuine. I know many things about you, Ciel Phantomhive, just from meeting with you. I know that your heart is good and pure, and it troubles us not to return you to your loved ones."

Though he was still full of questions, Ciel found he could no longer speak. His throat felt suddenly tight, and he could only stare at the woman then, conveying his gratitude with a short squeeze of his hand upon hers.

He was finally going home.

Dusk was approaching, and the caravan slowed to a stop near the edge of the woods. The circus performers set up camp to cook their dinner, and Ciel wandered toward where he could see Timber and Alois walking ahead.

"Wait," he said as he jogged up to them.

Timber looked at him skeptically. "We need to keep moving," he said. "Once night falls and we turn, you will all be put in danger."

"I know," said Ciel, breathless from running and still dizzy from his concussion. "I just- I need answers. I will never rest soundly again if I don't know."

Timber crossed his arms tightly over his chest, turning toward Ciel. "Don't know what?"

Ciel bit his lip for a moment, steeling himself for an answer that could potentially wound him even further. "What all of you did," he said carefully. "Was it all premeditated?"

Alois nodded before Timber had a chance to speak. If he had considered lying to Ciel, it was useless now.

"Yes," he added. "Sebastian had all of us fooling you into thinking you were meant to be an offering. It was the only way we could infiltrate Ash's lair. We were all a part of his revenge."

Ciel felt the real weight of everything he'd experience fall heavy on his shoulders.

He felt winded.

"So-so I was never meant to be sacrificed at all?" he said helplessly. "Or-or remain his prisoner? It was all just a trick, I- I just had to think I was going to die for however long it suited you?"

"Sebastian couldn't have you revealing our real intentions too soon," said Timber defensively. "He had to wait for the opportune moment to attack Ash. The city vampyrs are stronger than we are, you saw it for yourself-"

"What now?" Ciel interjected. "What will become of you, and-and Sebastian?"

Timber stared at Ciel for a moment, perplexed, and then he shrugged. "Whoever survives will make their way back here, I suppose. I was told to get you to safety. My task here is done."

He turned away, heading into the forest, and Ciel knew his time for asking questions had ran out. He was prepared to let Timber leave, but then the vampyr turned back, his jaw tight.

"For what it is worth," he said after a long pause. "I am sorry. For attacking you that night."

Ciel was stunned for a moment but recovered quickly. "You saved me," he replied, feeling awkward. "That is payment enough."

Timber nodded then turned to leave again, taking Alois by the hand and tugging him lightly.

Alois didn't budge. He looked at Ciel with his wild blue eyes, which were desperately trying to convey something. Timber frowned and tugged him again.

"Alois, we have to go," he insisted, but he ignored him. Instead he walked close to Ciel and reached up a hand to prod him lightly in the chest.

And then he spoke.

"Home," he said in a tight, croaky voice that had not been used for a long time.

"Home."

At first, Ciel was too shocked to reply. He stared at him for a long time, trying to make sense of what he was hearing. "I'm sorry?" he said softly, squinting at him.

"Home!" he said more loudly, sounding frustrated. He removed his hand from Ciel's chest and pressed it against his own instead. "Home," he repeated, patting his own chest gently.

Slowly something came together in Ciel's mind. A long time ago, long before he moved to Shady Hollow, a young boy had been taken by the vampyrs. A young boy who had once been the intended offering, but who had apparently become a vampyr himself instead.

"Shady Hollow," he whispered. "That was your home once too, wasn't it?"

Alois smiled gently. "Home," he said again, rubbing Ciel's shoulder soothingly, and Timber sighed impatiently.

"Come, Alois," he insisted. "Our time dwindles."

At last Alois allowed himself to be tugged away. Ciel watched the pair of them as they disappeared into the cold, grey mass of splintered trees, feeling suddenly very alone.

Eventually Ciel returned to the caravan to awkwardly seat himself in the circle the performers had formed around a fire. At first he felt unwelcome, but Unique's sparkling eyes were warm and inviting as she smiled at him from across the fire.

"Please, help yourself," she told him as she passed him a small bowl of soup. It was the first warm meal Ciel had eaten in a long time, and he ate it eagerly.

The surprises hadn't quite ended, though. When it came time to sleep, Ciel was fashioning himself a cot when he saw Unique reach to take her hair in hand and pull it right off. The wig was of fine quality, and Ciel saw her hang it carefully before he saw her reach into her shirt and remove a great deal of padding.

Ciel's eyes widened. "You're...?"

Unique glanced in his direction, and the corners of her mouth were tight. "My parents called me Wade," she informed him. "And as much as I wish to honor their memory, I cannot keep the name they gave me. It is not who I am."

Ciel's chest felt tight. "I'm so sorry," he whispered. "For your loss."

She smiled at him, her eyes sparkling once more. "Life goes on," she told him before heading to her own cot to sleep.

Ciel followed suit, and her words repeated over and over in his mind. They were simple, but they meant a great deal to him. His life would go on, despite the horrors he'd experienced, and he'd have to learn to heal from the wounds inflicted on his mind and body. It would take time, and the scars would never truly fade-but he'd survived. Despite everything, he was still alive.

That was encouragement enough.

They set off to Shady Hollow at dawn.

* * *

><p>It took a little longer than expected since they had to go around the forest, but Ciel was grateful not to have to set foot in that place again. A knot tightened in his stomach as he recalled the blood pact he made with Angela- He had almost forgotten it in all the chaos that had happened in the city.<p>

What if she never gave my father the medicine? he thought, feeling sicker by the minute. What if she was lying? What if he's worse, or-or if he's-

Nausea curled in his stomach and he was suddenly in desperate need of fresh air.

He stumbled to the doorway of the caravan just in time for him to spill the contents of his stomach overboard. He didn't throw up very often, and it was a miserable experience. Convinced he had some form of motion sickness, he moved back inside once he'd finished vomiting, curling up to rest until their arrival.

It was late afternoon when they finally rolled past the woods near Shady Hollow, and Ciel woke up to the sound of angry voices outside.

Groggily he pushed himself to his feet and walked to the front of the caravan.

With a jolt he realized they'd made it to the edge of the village, and that several watchmen were accosting the driver with a barrage of questions, undoubtedly suspicious.

They must have increased security since my disappearance, Ciel realized, and he quickly walked within sight of the watchmen, who were stunned speechless by his sudden appearance.

"It's all right," he told them. "They're friends. I-"

He trailed off as he realized that a crowd of villagers had gathered to investigate the sudden commotion. Among them, in the far back, hobbling with a cane from the distance, was Vincent Phantomhive.

Words failed Ciel then.

Immediately he abandoned the caravan and the watchmen and pushed his way through the small crowd to where he could see his father advancing toward him.

Relief, happiness and horrible pain assailed him from all sides, stabbing every part of him until his body ached, but he didn't stop running until he had reached his father and had thrown his arms around him.

"Ciel," came Vincent's voice, quiet and choked and nearly drowned by the sound of Ciel's sobs. "Oh god, Ciel-"

Their legs collapsed and they slumped down to their knees, clutching one another desperately. Ciel's tears poured forth unchecked-and he let them, released every ounce of pain he'd been carrying since he'd been stolen away from home, breaking down in his father's arms.

They were real and warm and alive. He was alive, he was well and Ciel was home.

The crowd around the caravan had dispersed and instead gathered itself around the small reunion, registering awe and disbelief and uncertainty. The watchmen gave the circus caravan clearance to enter, and they rolled into the village at last. Ciel just clutched his father until they were both convinced of the reality of one another's presence, and then they pulled away to make doubly sure.

"Are you hurt?" Vincent demanded, touching the scrapes on Ciel's face. "Did they hurt you? Please-"

"I'm all right," Ciel insisted, touching his father's hand. His face hurt from smiling.

"I'm fine, father, but your heart- Are you-?"

"Come now," came a soft voice from above. "Let's get you two off the ground, and then you can catch up."

Ciel's heart soared as he looked up and saw Elizabeth standing above them. She too was in tears. Ciel sprung to his feet and embraced her tightly, nearly lifting her off the ground.

"Oh Elizabeth," he sobbed. "Oh, I'm so happy to see you..."

"I can't believe you're home," she replied, clutching him. "Oh Ciel... You must tell us everything."

Ciel felt a wrench in his heart then, but didn't quite let it destroy his happiness. He and Elizabeth helped Vincent to his feet, and Elizabeth guided them both toward their cottage. Ciel looked briefly around the town as he walked, and his eyes fell upon a familiar face in the back of the small crowd that was still tightly gathered, conversing among themselves.

It was Edward. Their eyes met for just a moment, and Ciel registered the confusion and disbelief and burgeoning joy there before Elizabeth tugged on his hand and he was ushered indoors.

Once inside Elizabeth hurried to put together something for Ciel to eat. Ciel found he wasn't hungry at all, though; he was so consumed by the knotted threads of his own emotion, and he couldn't even begin to try and sort through them all.

He knew the questions were going to come, but he felt ill-prepared for all of them.

Elizabeth kept asking him what the vampyrs were like and what they'd done, and while Vincent was mostly quiet Ciel could almost feel his thirst for answers. Ciel gave as little as he could, desperate not to reopen wounds that were only just starting to scab over, but it was becoming difficult to ignore his father's frustration.

When the knock came at the door, he was almost relieved.

"I'll get it," he said quickly, and moved to the door. He was not surprised to see Edward there.

"Am I interrupting?" said Edward hastily. "I couldn't wait-"

"It's all right," said Ciel. "Why don't we go for a walk? I could use the fresh air after being cooped up in that caravan all day."

He sensed both Vincent and Elizabeth were about to protest, but he ignored them and quickly walked out the door, much to Edward's surprise.

It was sunny and pleasantly breezy outside, and Ciel could feel magic swirling around him where he'd only taken it for granted before. It surged within him, filling every bone and every vein, and he breathed in the sweet scents of the gardens and meadows around him.

Edward was quiet, awkward. Ciel knew he was itching to ask Ciel what had happened and how he'd returned, and was holding back only to give Ciel some much-needed time to heal. While obvious, Edward's curiosity didn't bother him as much as Elizabeth's and Vincent's did. After all, Edward had been hurt by Sebastian as well. There was an understanding between them that Ciel didn't share with anyone else.

"There is talk of a celebration," Edward finally said, breaking the ice. "To honor your return."

"Oh yes?" said Ciel with only a faint amount of interest. He knotted his fingers together, staring at them while they walked.

They walked for a while in silence, awkwardness thick in the air. He considered turning back around and heading home again, if only to hide in his room for a while.

It had only been a few hours since he'd last slept, but he was already exhausted.

Instead, Edward reached out to grasp his arm gently once they were out of earshot of any villagers. He leaned in close, his brows knitted close together with worry.

"I don't wish to press you," said Edward. "But I must know- How did you get away? Are you still in danger? Will he come looking for you?"

Ciel's chest tightened. "No," he said quietly. "He won't."

"How can you be certain?" Edward pressed, looking anxious.

"Because I didn't get away," Ciel said quickly, suddenly uncomfortable. "He let me go."

Edward was quiet then, stunned. Ciel took the opportunity to turn them around and start walking back. Edward followed closely, looking as though he were wrestling internally with himself. Ciel was too tired to try and figure out why.

Ciel felt the eyes of the surrounding villagers on him as they walked back, and suddenly wished there wouldn't be a celebration at all. At a party he'd have to smile and converse and pretend that he didn't feel like curling up somewhere and screaming at the top of his lungs, just screaming and crying until his throat cracked and his voice gave out.

"Are you certain you aren't in danger?" Edward finally asked as they walked up the steps to Ciel's front door. "I must know, because-because I won't let Them take you away, Ciel. Not again."

There was pain in his voice that brought Ciel out of the haze of apathy that had started to surround him, and he finally stopped to look into Edward's eyes. They were filled with a deep longing, and pain that Ciel felt he could reach out and touch.

He reached up to touch Edward's cheek instead, gently stroking it as night began to fall around them and cloak them in blue.

"Goodnight Edward," he said softly. "I'll see you tomorrow."

The nightmares began as soon as Ciel's head hit the pillow. He slept fitfully as he was forced to relive all the terrors he'd seen and the pain he'd felt, as if some cruel unseen force was staunchly forbidding him any moments of real peace. The last thing he saw before waking was Ash's cruel smile as he brought the knife down on Sebastian's back, and then he was bolting upright in bed, seized by sudden horrible nausea.

He stumbled out of bed and to the front porch in time to vomit into the grass. He remained hunched over the side of the steps until the sickness passed, and was grateful that it was too early in the morning for anyone to have witnessed it. He sat back and sucked in a large gulp of the morning air, raking his hand through his sweaty hair as he tried to get his bearings.

The door opened behind him, and he turned to see his father standing there.

"I suppose I'll make breakfast then," Vincent grumbled as he held the door open for Ciel to come back inside.

Breakfast was a near-silent affair. Ciel didn't feel much like eating, and it seemed as though Vincent had little desire to eat as well. They each managed a few bites of porridge before setting down their spoons and instead reaching across the table to grasp hands, silently reaffirming their presence to one another, reminding each other that the nightmares were finally over.

Ciel remained indoors until the afternoon, simply enjoying his father's company. He soon grew restless, however, and decided he felt well enough to walk about town.

It was a pleasantly sunny day, and Ciel enjoyed himself watching the villagers prepare for the evening's party. He couldn't resist helping a little too, even as Elizabeth insisted that the party was his and he had no obligations to do any work that day.

The circus performers were hard at work as well, setting up their show and rehearsing for the event. They had become quite the talking point of the town, which was isolated and unfamiliar to the strange wonders of the city. Indeed, Ciel felt himself feeling increasingly alienated even in Elizabeth's presence, having witnessed things that his fellow villagers would have only ever read about.

By the time night fell, however, the excitement had grown infectious. Ciel found himself smiling and laughing with everyone else as the circus performed. After the performance a small band began to play, and Ciel found a table to sit at and happily watch as villagers danced merrily to the rousing music.

His smile faded somewhat when the time came to toast his return. He felt hot and uncomfortable as nearly every eye in the village stared him down, and was grateful once the attention was away from him and he could hide in the crowd and watch the others dance. It was difficult to avoid the prying eyes, however, and the questions that were getting thrown at him at every turn.

"What were They like, Ciel?"

"Are They truly as monstrous as the legends say?"

"How did you escape Them, Ciel?"

"Stop crowding him at once!" came a voice as Ciel was set upon by a group of curious young children. They immediately dispersed, and Ciel deflated in relief. He looked up to thank whoever had intervened, and found himself face-to-face with Edward.

"Oh Edward," he breathed. "Thank you. I was feeling rather smothered."

Edward smiled and held out a hand, his eyes twinkling. "Care for a dance?"

Ciel looked skeptical, but he took Edward's hand nonetheless and allowed himself to be steered toward the dance floor. The music was upbeat and infectious, and dancers were whirling all around them, and Ciel had no idea what he was doing.

"I'm a terrible dancer," he admitted, speaking loud over the music, cheeks hot with embarrassment. "I'm going to trip over your feet."

"Just let me lead you," replied Edward soothingly. "Just like this- Come on!"

He pulled Ciel close and began to move, tugging Ciel around to the frenetic beat of the music. It was dizzying, and Ciel laughed as he was twirled and tugged and spun around, sucked into the whirl of color and sound. Whenever he felt as though he might trip and fall, Edward was there to steady him and hold him close. When the beat finally slowed and a softer song began to play, he just looped his arms around Edward's shoulders and surrendered-and for the first time since he'd been taken by the vampyrs, he began to feel truly safe.

After a while Ciel began to feel tired and nauseated again. Edward helped him to sit down at a table, and he took a moment to catch his breath, feeling dizzy.

"Are you ill?" Edward asked, voice filled with concern.

"Just a bit dizzy," Ciel replied. It was a bit of an understatement; the smell of the food nearby was suddenly terribly pungent, and it was making Ciel feel like vomiting again. He searched the crowd for his father, and saw him chatting animatedly with a woman he knew to be a widow named Carole.

"Shall I fetch your father?" came Edward's voice beside him, and Ciel shook his head.

"Oh no, you mustn't disturb him," he replied, and gestured to his father and Carole with a knowing smile. He watched them for a moment then turned back to Edward.

"Could you take me home? This party has been lovely, but I'm feeling rather faint."

"Of course," said Edward hastily. He helped Ciel to his feet, and between the two of them they managed to leave the party without being noticed.

The sound of music and revelry slowly became an echo in the distance as Ciel and Edward made their way to the Phantomhives' cottage. Ciel immediately went to the couch to rest, and he watched as Edward stoked a fire and put a kettle on for tea.

"Thank you," Ciel said softly when Edward handed him a steaming cup. He drank slowly, focusing on the smell of the peppermint Edward had brewed it with, and slowly his nausea began to abate.

"How did you know to use peppermint?" Ciel murmured once he felt well enough to carry on a conversation. Edward came to sit beside him, and Ciel could see the firelight bathe his handsome features in soft, rusty orange.

"My mother used to make it for me when I was ill," Edward replied. "God rest her soul. Are you feeling better?"

"Yes, much," Ciel replied with a smile. "And I have your mother to thank."

"I shall tell her then, as I pray tonight," said Edward. "I have been neglecting her of late, I'm afraid, as all my prayers have been for your safe return."

Ciel set down the teacup and tugged a blanket around his shoulders. Edward reached over to straighten it, and Ciel's shiver when his hand brushed against the side of his neck had nothing to do with the cold. Edward seemed to sense it, and he moved closer, stopping only when their legs were touching one another.

"I missed you so, little one," Edward murmured, brushing Ciel's cheek with his thumb.

The distance between them slowly dwindled, and their lips met. This time, Ciel reciprocated fully, parting his lips invitingly for Edward to plunder, his arms encircling Edward's shoulders. Something in Edward seemed to break, and he made a sound much like a barely restrained sob as he crushed Ciel against him, his hands smoothing over the boy's slight body as if convinced he were going to disappear at any moment. He kissed deeply, greedily, taking what he was given, grasping hold of something that he had been trying to reach for far too long.

Ciel's heart was pounding so hard he could feel it rattle his bones. Suddenly the blanket around him felt far too hot, so he let it fall from around his shoulders and slide somewhere on the floor. He tried to meet each of Edward's feverish kisses with one of his own, his fingers tangling in the older man's shirt as they sought purchase to keep from falling. Gravity pulled their bodies down, and Ciel let Edward shift him so he was pressed against the couch, caught between it and the heat of Edward's body on top of him. Edward's lips found Ciel's neck and began to explore, pressing open-mouthed kisses along the pale length of it, tasting and devouring.

Ciel's eyes fluttered closed as he tried to lose himself in the heat spreading through his body, tried to enjoy the touch of a person he cared so much for-but it was at war with a chill that had been buried deep in his bones, which crept through his veins and threatened to obliterate everything.

With every press of Edward's mouth against his flesh he felt teeth sinking in, tearing in, drinking. The pressure of the couch below him suddenly felt like the filthy floor of a barn, and the hardness Ciel felt forming against his leg was something far more sinister, something about to penetrate and rip and tear him open and apart-

"No- No, stop!"

At the sound of the words Edward jerked on top of him, pulling away immediately. At first Ciel was confused as to why he'd stopped-and then he felt tears on his face, and a tremor shaking his body, and the realization that he'd said those words out loud.

Edward was off him immediately, moving to take the blanket off the floor and hesitantly pass it to Ciel. He seemed terrified to touch Ciel in that moment, and Ciel wondered if a fire had been set in his skin, an ever-burning flame there to scorch anyone he wanted to come close.

"I'm sorry," Ciel whispered, tugging the blanket around himself once more. "I'm so sorry."

"It's all right," Edward whispered, reaching out hesitantly to rub his back in slow, soothing circles. "You've done nothing wrong. It's all right. Shh, now..."

There was silence then, and the crackling of the fire, and the sounds of distant revelry that neither of them could partake in.

* * *

><p>The night was over and the morning came, and Ciel was determined to forget what had happened. He let himself sleep a little later than usual, and when he woke up the house was empty- His father must have gone to work for the day. He made himself some tea and relaxed for a while, and when the sun reached its apex in the sky he finally decided to get dressed and start the day.<p>

When he went to tug on his trousers, however, he realized they didn't fit quite right.

He frowned, looking at himself from all sides in the mirror, wondering if he had gained weight. I did eat a lot at the party last night, he told himself, but he couldn't shake the nervous feeling that was started to form in his stomach.

He spent the afternoon adjusting his clothes so they fit more loosely, trying to keep his mind occupied. Eventually he got tired of being indoors and found something baggy to wear to he could go meet with Elizabeth. When he got to her house he was surprised to see the widow Carole and her daughter Paula standing outside with Elizabeth and her family.

"Ciel!" said Elizabeth delightedly when she saw him. "I was wondering where you've been."

"Hello," said Paula awkwardly, reaching out a hand to shake Ciel's. Ciel took one look between her and Elizabeth and could immediately make the connection.

"I'm happy for you two," Ciel said earnestly. Paula blushed, and Elizabeth beamed.

"Well, we should leave them alone now, shouldn't we?" Carole suggested, and Ciel acquiesced with only a small amount of disappointment. After all, he could never frown upon his best friend's happiness.

He led Carole away from the house and walked with her across town. As usual Shady Hollow was bustling with cheerful activity, and Ciel could see the circus caravan packing up in the distance.

"How is your father, Ciel?" said Carole suddenly, her tone demure.

"Very well," Ciel replied, giving her an encouraging smile.

Just then a fresh wave of nausea rolled over him, and he held his stomach, looking down at the ground as his world spun. He wanted to chalk it up to nerves, but he was slowly running out of excuses. He glanced over at the circus caravan again, wrestling internally with something.

Carole's voice cut into his thoughts. "Are you all right?" she asked, putting a hand on his back.

"Fine," he said hastily. "Just a tad woozy, is all."

Carole nodded knowingly. "Try some ginger," she advised. "I found it always helped me. I had dealt with nausea quite often when I was pregnant with Paula."

It was like the floor opened up beneath Ciel and swallowed him in. Something in his mind had nursed its suspicions, but hearing the words just made it all real.

But it can't be real, he told himself. It can't. This isn't happening.

"Ciel?" said Carole uncertainly. He turned to pat her arm soothingly.

"I have some business I need to take care of," he told her. "Will you be all right walking home?"

Carole nodded and bid him goodbye, and he walked away from her without another word, making haste to where he could see Unique helping the others pack up to leave town. He picked up the pace until he was running, ignoring the looks he got from the surrounding townspeople as he waved his arm to stop Unique.

"Wait!" he called out. "Please don't leave yet-"

He skidded to a halt in front of the caravan, panting to catch his breath. The circus performers looked at him curiously, but he ignored them in favor of taking Unique by the arm and tugging her toward the woods.

"I need to speak with you in private," he informed her as they marched to the edge of the woods, taking shelter beneath a large oak tree.

"Are you all right?" asked Unique, looking concerned.

Ciel wasted no time. "When you told our fortunes," he said breathlessly, "you said there were three of us. What did you mean?"

Unique's lips tightened for a moment, and she looked unsure. "My foresight can sometimes prove false," she admitted. "I sensed three souls in that room. Something might have interfered, like an outside presence-"

"Or there really were three of us," Ciel interjected, distressed.

Unique stared at him, confused. "I don't know what you-"

Immediately Ciel took her hand and placed it on his belly. His eyes were wild, beseeching as he searched her face, desperate for an answer.

"Use your clairvoyance," he begged. "Please. Tell me if I am with child or not."

Unique looked hopelessly confused for a moment, but she didn't ask any questions.

Instead she closed her eyes, splaying her fingers on Ciel's belly as she seemed to slip away within herself. Ciel scarcely breathed, terrified in ways he'd never even imagined, watching Unique as if certain she were about to pull out a blade and slice him in two.

It took far too long. Ciel was about to shout, demand an answer when Unique finally pulled her hand away and stared at him in utmost confusion.

"Well?" Ciel cried.

"Yes," said Unique. "You are with child."

She may as well have struck him across the face. Ciel went ghastly pale and stumbled backward, reeling. It had to be some sort of colossal cosmic joke, and if he were at all in the mood for humor he would have reveled in the irony of it.

He had just arrived home, had only just began to surrender to peace, and now this.

"Ciel," said Unique, reaching for him. "Are you...?"

"Thank you," he cut in, his voice shrill. "For your performance. I wish all of you well."

He turned away without another word, making a beeline for his house. His hand clutched at his belly as if he cradled something dangerous there, an explosive about to tear down his entire world. Once again he ignored the busy town around him, focusing only on getting home, getting somewhere he could hide away and scream and scream and scream.

He spent the rest of the day curled up in bed. When he heard the door open, signaling his father's return, he didn't get up to greet him.

"Ciel?" Vincent called through the house, his boots thumping on the wooden floor.

"Where are you, boy? I've got things to tell you."

Finally Ciel forced himself out of bed. His side ached from where he'd been lying on it too long. He wandered out into the kitchen, and Vincent turned to look at him and frowned.

"What ails you?" he muttered. "You look like death, boy."

"I'm just feeling a bit ill," Ciel replied, forcing a smile. "It's nothing serious."

"Make one of those foul concoctions you used to give to me," Vincent retorted, inviting Ciel to join him at the table. "Those wicked-tasting things."

"Perhaps I will," Ciel replied tiredly. "What is it you'd like to tell me?"

Vincent's eyes glinted with excitement that Ciel hadn't seen in years. "You know Carole, the widow? I've taken a real liking to her. And I think she feels the same way about me."

He smiled, actually looking bashful. There was so much joy in his expression, and Ciel felt something go numb and crumble inside of him.

"We're getting late in years, but..." Vincent trailed off for a moment, looking wistful, and shook his head. "To blazes with that. I want to marry her, Ciel. It isn't too late, is it? What do you think?"

Ciel's face felt hot and his ears were ringing. "I...I don't know..."

Vincent didn't seem to hear him. "I waited so long," he gushed. "I felt it was an affront to your mother's memory, but I think it's time. She would have wanted that for me, for us. Don't you think?"

Ciel felt dizzy. "I..."

"Ciel, say something, won't you? I-"

"I have to go."

Silence fell so jarring Ciel could hear the wind outside, whistling through the cracks in the walls of the house. Vincent stared, the smile having not quite left his face.

"What?"

"I have to leave," Ciel said more loudly, eyes focused on the window on the back wall. "I cannot stay in this village."

Vincent wasn't even remotely smiling now. "What are you talking about?" he demanded. "This is your home, Ciel. You're-" His expression turned dark. He rose from his chair, looking murderous. "Blast it. I knew it. I knew those monsters did something to you, and They'll pay for it, mark my-"

"I'm pregnant."

It was as if he'd slapped Vincent across the face. His father turned white as a corpse, the joy driven from his eyes, and Ciel hated himself for it. He suddenly felt very small, sitting there like a stray cat, alone and forsaken and filthy and completely unwanted.

"Impossible," said Vincent at last, his voice choked with disbelief. "How did-"

"There is no time to explain," said Ciel, and his throat felt so tight it was becoming difficult to speak. "I-" His voice died, and he tried again. "Please don't-"

A tiny sob left his lips and he gave up. "Please don't make me explain," he whimpered, and realized he was shaking.

Before he could say another word his father's arms were around him. He felt very much like a tiny child again, having woken from a nightmare, clinging to safety in his father's warm embrace. Vincent couldn't make this go away, though. Vincent couldn't undo any of the horrors he'd experienced. Nothing could.

Vincent held him for a long time, and he let himself howl and cry, breaking down in the circle of his father's arms. When it was done, when his tears were gone and he was left an empty husk, he slowly pulled away.

"I need to tell you something," he said in a hollow voice, dead inside. "It's about who I am, I- I cannot keep it a secret from you any longer. Father, I..." He took a breath, steeling himself. "I'm a witch."

The shock and horror that Ciel expected weren't there. Instead came only two words.

"I know."

Ciel stared. "What?"

"Do you think I don't remember your mother?" said Vincent, reaching out to stroke lingering tears from Ciel's pale cheek. "You've always been just like her, you know. You've inherited her kindness, her good heart, her sensibility... It would seem foolish if you did not inherit her gifts as well."

"Some would call them a curse," Ciel countered, leaning against his father's shoulder.

Vincent wrapped an arm around him, tugging him close. "You are not a curse," he said firmly. "Nor is your child. And I intend to go with you, to wherever you're headed."

Startled, Ciel pulled away abruptly. "Absolutely not!" he said vehemently. "This- Father, you mustn't. You don't have the strength, and where I go there is only death and ruin- You must stay here. What would Carole think if you left on some dangerous journey, some- some fool's errand?"

"It is no fool's errand," Vincent argued, affronted. "You are my son. And if you think I am about to let you walk back into the lion's den alone, you are sorely mistaken."

There was conviction in his tone that Ciel couldn't reason with. Instead he simply let his shoulders fall in defeat, biting his tongue, and nodded once.

"Very well," he replied softly. "We leave tomorrow before dawn, so we can go unnoticed. Let us talk no more of this tonight. Shall I brew us some tea? We can sleep out on the living room floor together, like we used to when I was young."

Vincent visibly relaxed and then nodded. He sat at the table, hands folded and pressed against his temples as Ciel went to the kitchen to brew the tea. Ciel watched him warily for a moment before reaching into his stores and locating a parcel of the strongest sleeping agent he could find. He brewed the tea as he usually did, but added copious amounts of the herb to Vincent's cup.

He was very careful not to show any sign of emotion as Vincent drank the tea, composing himself carefully until his father's eyelids began to droop and the cup toppled out of his hands and to the floor. Ciel waited until his father was sound asleep before he stole into his room to pack a small amount of clothes to bring with him. Moving quickly, he added a generous amount of spellcasting supplies and the dagger he often used to cut them with. He left whatever he couldn't bring behind, tucking it carefully underneath the floorboard, and then he lingered for just a moment to drape a blanket over his father's shoulders.

"Good bye," he whispered, and he let one more tear fall before he forced himself to walk out of the house and to his last destination before he left for good.

There was still light through the windows of Edward's house. Ciel was careful to stow his bag in the bushes outside the front staircase before he knocked on the door and waited for Edward to answer. He heard footsteps padding toward the door, and he stepped aside so it could be opened.

Edward looked slightly tousled, as if he'd woken up after having fallen unintentionally asleep. He looked surprised, but not displeased, to see Ciel there.

"Ciel- What on Earth?" He stepped aside to let Ciel in. "It's terribly late. Are you all right?"

Ciel wasted no time. As soon as he was inside and the door was closed he reached out to grab Edward's face and crush their mouths together. Edward made a muffled noise of surprise, his hands falling to grip Ciel's waist uncertainly as Ciel kissed him hard, deeply, desperately.

When they pulled apart for breath Edward stared down at Ciel, utterly confused. His face was flushed, his lips slightly swollen, his eyes dazed.

"Ciel," he panted. "What-?"

"Do you remember when we met?" Ciel replied, his voice equally breathless. He stared up at Edward, his eyes far away and wistful. "When I first moved here to Shady Hollow, when I was a child. The other little boys teased me because they said I looked like a girl. Do you remember?"

"Yes," Edward replied, his hands still resting lightly on Ciel's waist. "Of course I do."

"You were much older than them," Ciel recalled, grinning. "And bigger. You scared them away, and told them you'd tell their mothers and that they'd swat their little behinds for being such scoundrels."

Edward let out a startled little laugh. "Yes, I do recall that," he said softly. "But what brings this about, especially at this hour?"

Ciel just shook his head, his smile sad. He reached up to trail his hand through Edward's hair, and let it trail down to gently caress his cheek. Edward reached up to take it and hold it tight.

"You've always been here for me," Ciel murmured. "My silent guardian."

"Not quite so silent," Edward joked lightly in response.

Ciel just laughed again, then leaned up for another kiss. This one started out softer, quietly conveying the emotions that were running through Ciel at that moment-the deep affection he felt, the confusion and sadness, the anger and pain that lurked just beneath them. Then Edward pulled him closer and it deepened, and Ciel let all his feelings sweep him up, entangle him, obliterate everything else. Edward was sweeping him up too-lifting him up of his feet, and Ciel wrapped his legs tightly around Edward's waist as they kissed and kissed, stumbling their way to the bedroom.

Edward set Ciel down on the bed and crawled over him, kissing his way up Ciel's abdomen to his neck to his lips. He let them linger there, desperately taking in everything he'd been denied, then pulled away to look down at Ciel with a mixture of concern and reluctance.

"Are you sure about this, darling?" he breathed, locking his eyes on Ciel's.

Ciel wished he hadn't asked. Thinking was not an activity he was eager to engage in right then. Still, he couldn't deny the lingering panic he still felt-and his desire to quell it completely, forever.

"I am sure," he replied, and tugged Edward down for another kiss.

Edward was slow and careful, but Ciel could sense a desperation in him that was just barely restrained. Ciel focused on that, on the raw energy between them, latching onto every moment and cementing it in his memory. When Edward's hand slid down his body and finally found its way between his legs, it was tentative and gentle, and it should have been everything Ciel ever wanted.

All of it should have-and while every touch was pleasurable instead of painful, giving rather than taking, Ciel felt a hollowness in every stroke that he couldn't explain. He chose not to dwell on it, instead catching Edward's lips with his own whenever they moved close, desperate to stay in the present.

Edward's hand worked at Ciel for a long time-and it wasn't until he was rutting his hips against it, wet and aching, that Edward finally draw away to pull away their trousers and line up their bodies. Ciel's back arched off the bed as Edward held him firmly by the hips and pushed in, sliding deep into the wet heat. Ciel's fingers knotted around the sheets on either side of his head, holding tight for leverage as Edward began to thrust in and out of him at a frantic pace.

"You're so lovely, Ciel," Edward kept saying. "So lovely. You feel so good-"

Ciel latched onto the words, keeping his eyes opened and trained on Edward's face.

Whenever the fear crept into his heart he shoved it down, hanging on to his courage, living in the moment. It was pleasurable, if purely on an emotional level, but he didn't reach climax. Instead he met Edward's kiss when the other man reached his own, moaning softly as he felt his friend release inside him.

"I love you, Ciel."

At first Ciel wasn't sure he heard it- But then Edward said it again.

"I love you, Ciel," he breathed against Ciel's neck as he lay to rest atop him, sweaty and warm. "I love you so much."

"Shh," was all Ciel said in reply, stroking Edward's damp hair. "Sleep now."

He continued to stroke Edward's hair and neck until the older man fell asleep, nestled against him. For a split second Ciel considered abandoning his plan

entirely-to instead stay in the Hollow and face whatever consequences lay in wait for him-but it was over quickly. He wormed his way out from underneath Edward and slipped out of his bed, and went about cleaning himself and dressing as quietly as possible.

Once he was ready to go he lingered just long enough to write a note, and left it on the table for Edward to find. He couldn't resist pressing one last kiss to Edward's temple as he slept-and then he was gone, stealing into the night like a dream, moving across the sleeping village to the woods beyond.

_Dearest Edward,_

_I am leaving Shady Hollow tonight to return to the home of the vampyrs. Please do not look for me. I am certain he will show you no mercy if he sees you again. I will be safe. You have my word that I will return once my errand is done. Until then, I ask only that you care for my father as you did when I was first taken into the woods. Please do not let him go looking for me. Elizabeth too._

_Thank you for everything you have done for me, truly. You are an invaluable friend. I promise I will return, so please do not dwell on sorrow. I wish only happiness for you, until the end of our days._

_Love always,_

_Ciel_

* * *

><p>The night was silent and cold. Ciel tugged his cloak tightly around himself as he slipped into the darkness of the forest, sneaking past the watchmen with the aid of a few well-placed magic spells. He lit a torch when he was far enough away from the watchtowers, and held it carefully as he navigated his way through the twisting, winding trees.<p>

It all looked the same at night, and he wished he had some sort of map to guide him. He just kept walking in a straight line, certain he would reach the clearing shortly. When time continued to drag on and he was certain he was getting lost, he decided to stop and make camp.

Using some of the supplies he'd taken from home he cast a weak protection spell, the best he could conjure. He hoped it would be enough to at least ward off animal predators, and he curled up on the ground beneath a large tree and fell into an uneasy sleep.

He woke up to daylight and the sound of footsteps in the distance. He jerked awake, looking all around for the source of the noise, seizing his dagger and clutching it tightly. The footsteps drew closer, snapping twigs and crunching leaves, clearly not attempting any form of stealth. Ciel stood his ground, fear creeping into his blood, and then his eyes fell upon a familiar face.

It was Timber.

His face was deathly pale, his eyes wide, his expression anxious. Ciel stared at him, both relieved and perplexed by his presence.

"Timber," he said incredulously. "What's the matter?"

"It's Sebastian," said Timber beseechingly. Ciel's heart dropped.

"Has he returned?" he demanded.

"Yes," said Timber. "But we need your help. He's dying."

* * *

><p><strong>Review! :)<strong>


	10. Unveiling

**Warnings: self-harm. Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Ciel followed Timber through the woods toward the vampyr's skeleton of a village, his heart pounding in his throat the entire time. For some reason he'd always thought the vampyrs were indestructible, or at least the closest thing to it, and it seemed impossible that someone like Sebastian-strong Sebastian, fearsome Sebastian, carved of jagged stone and untouchable-could be dying. He'd seen the way Ash's throat had healed when it had been slashed. What could have happened to Sebastian that could have hurt him enough to push him near death?<p>

When they arrived Ciel was stunned to see that the village was nearly desolate.

Only a handful of vampyrs had returned, and they were all varying degrees of injured. Timber led Ciel across town and into the inn, where several injured vampyrs had been laid out to rest and be treated for their wounds.

Ciel walked past Sebastian's friend, Mey, who was unconscious and draped in bloody bandages. His chest tightened at the sight of her; she seemed to be healing, but at a much slower rate than the vampyrs normally did. If she looked so bad, what had become of Sebastian?

He got his answer right away. Timber led him into an adjacent room, where a fire had been lit and Sebastian was lying on a bed near the back wall. Ciel stepped cautiously close, and he gasped out loud.

Sebastian was barely recognizable. His skin seemed to have melted away from his flesh, which had turned almost entirely black on one side. Blood was caked all over him, staining the sheets where he lay, and the smell was terrible-unmistakably the stench of rotted flesh, and it made Ciel's stomach turn. Sebastian's head was turned unnaturally to the side, and Ciel would have thought he was dead if it weren't for the ragged, labored breaths he took.

"My god," Ciel whispered, horrified. "What happened to him?"

"We don't know," said Bard, the blonde-haired vampyr who almost never left Sebastian's side. He was sitting on a chair next to the bed, looking anxious. "We've never seen wounds like these before."

"You've seen how we heal," Timber told Ciel. "It's a quick process, but this- The only thing it reminds me of is your magic." He bit his lip awkwardly. "You know, like when you-"

"When I blinded you," Ciel finished for him. He walked closer to Sebastian, reluctantly getting a closer look. It was revolting to look at the flesh rotting away, but he had no choice. He examined the wounds, holding his breath as his nostrils were flooded with the terrible stench.

"What do you think it is?" Bard pressed him. "Did Ash use some kind of magic on him?"

"That's the only thing I can think of," Ciel murmured. "But it must be dark magic of some kind. No spell I know could do something like this."

"But can you fix it?" Bard demanded.

Timber shot him a look. "He won't if you keep crowing in his ear," he admonished, and Bard went red and fell silent.

"I've brought ingredients from home," Ciel informed them. "Along with some of my mother's spellbooks. I can't be certain, but there might be a spell I can cast that can fix him. I just..." He swallowed. "I haven't ever dealt with something like this before."

"We'll leave you to it then," said Timber, getting to his feet.

Bard frowned at him. "But how can we-?"

"We can trust him," Timber finished. "Come. Ciel needs to concentrate."

They left, and Ciel was left alone with the half-dead, rotting, incapacitated Sebastian.

Instantly Ciel felt a sense of pity and alarm, but he wasn't certain if the feelings came from a sense of human empathy he couldn't shake-always present, even when inappropriate-or from genuine concern for the man who had scarred him so deeply. Indeed, it was as if a small battle began to wage inside him, fully armed on both sides, evenly matched. He wasn't sure if there would ever be an end in sight, or if he'd be hovering in a stalemate for the rest of his life.

So he decided to stop thinking and instead opted to act, throwing open spellbook after spellbook as he researched a possible cure. When his first search failed to produce any results, he decided to cook up something to take away some of the pain that Sebastian was undoubtedly experiencing. It would reduce any sign of a fever as well, if such a thing could be experienced by a vampyr, so he set out on creating it.

Once the potion had been brewed he moved slowly to Sebastian's bedside, his heartbeat quickening as he approached the fallen man. Instantly he thought of the cathedral, and the way Sebastian had shielded Ciel's body from Ash's violence, protecting him from torment and death.

He spoke, his throat dry. "Sebastian? Can you hear me?"

Sebastian was silent, but he was breathing, and his eyes were half-lidded. Ciel worried his lip between his teeth and gently slid a hand under Sebastian's head, pushing it upright.

"Drink this," he said softly. "It'll help with the pain, and bring your fever down... Can you swallow?"

It took some maneuvering, but he managed to tip some of the liquid into Sebastian's mouth and down his throat. Sebastian swallowed it weakly, and Ciel lowered his head back down onto the pillow so he could return to his research.

On his way back toward the fireplace, however, he felt a hand tug at his sleeve, halting his movement. He spun around.

"Sebastian?" said Ciel, startled.

Sebastian's lips moved, and a sound could just scarcely be heard from them, barely audible beneath the crackling of the fireplace.

"Ciel," he groaned, his voice hoarse and terrible to hear. "Is that you...?"

"Yes," said Ciel, nervous and unsettled. "It is me. But you ought not to talk, Sebastian. Save your strength, all right?"

Sebastian didn't listen. His fingers closed around Ciel's sleeve, clutching it.

"You came back," he whispered. "You came back..."

Ciel wasn't sure how to respond to that. Thankfully, he didn't have to- Sebastian slipped back into unconsciousness then, and Ciel quickly checked his vitals to be certain he was still alive. His anxiety grew, and he moved quickly back to the table near the fireplace, intent on finding a cure.

Hours passed. Ciel found himself getting more and more stressed, and the stench in the room was really starting to get to him. He felt nausea churn in his stomach again but he tried to fight it, focusing on the task at hand. Every time Sebastian's breath stopped being audible he felt panic crawl up his chest and into his throat, choking him, and he'd have to get up and check his pulse to be sure Sebastian was still alive.

The fear he was experiencing made no sense to him, but he had to accept it. He had to accept that Sebastian meant something to him, as some fixture in his life he couldn't define, the subject of every emotion he was capable of feeling. Every time he stopped hearing Sebastian's breath he had to wrestle his fear with relief, to beat down the vengeful monster that crawled around in his heart. Then he had to make peace with what was left when the monster was gone.

He had no idea what that was.

His back hurt from being hunched over his books, his head ached, and his stomach turned. The spellbook he'd inherited from his mother had once seemed a tome of limitless possibilities, a key to unlocking his own potential. Now it was a mess of scrambled words, useless to him, and he felt overcome with a sense of betrayal.

Ciel had never been a religious person. Shady Hollow was rooted in old faith, the sort that kept its people sane when living under constant threat of monsters. Ciel's faith was different, though- As a witch, his spirit was locked in a symbiotic relationship with nature, with one force never overtaking the other. It was a life of intense self-reliance that his mother had passed down to him, and it had never failed him.

Now, the doubt was insidious, pouring into him like black tar hardening around his heart. He'd always believed his mother's magic was somehow instilled in him, as if he could simply unlock it by studying and practicing and never compromising his beliefs- But he felt nothing. There was no sudden surge of power, no clarity, nothing except empty words and phrases that felt utterly hollow.

Ciel couldn't do it anymore. He needed to take a break.

With a loud thump he closed the book and got to his feet, walking out of the room without another look at Sebastian. He could see Bard on a nearby chair, tending to

Mey, and the blond vampyr stood as Ciel passed him and headed for the door.

"Where are you going?" he demanded, but Ciel ignored him.

Outside he could finally breathe in fresh air, and he took it in greedily, trying to fight the nausea that refused to go away. He braced himself on the wall of the inn, trying to hold back vomit, and was interrupted when Bard threw open the door beside him.

"Why have you stopped?" Bard cried. "You have to-"

"I don't have to do anything," Ciel mumbled, still doubled over. "Leave me. I'm going to be ill."

"If you let him die," said Bard, his voice raising. "I'll-"

"What? Hurt me?" Ciel shrieked, suddenly irate. "Rape me? There is nothing you can do that has not been done. And death would be a welcome respite from the hell you've all put me through."

Without another word he tore away from Bard, making a beeline for the edge of the woods. He needed space, he needed time, and he needed to breathe. As he walked he unknowingly placed a hand on his belly, either to stave off nausea or to somehow confirm the presence of the life that resided there.

The baby, he thought. _My baby. Mine and Sebastian's baby._

The world spun, and Ciel found a fallen log near the edge of the forest and slumped down upon it. He let his head fall into his hands and took several long, deep breaths, trying to keep himself from breaking down.

Eventually the nausea passed, and Ciel just sat alone for a long time, pulling together the seams within himself.

As he did so he noticed a soft sound coming from one of the houses nearby. He listened hard and realized it was someone crying-a boy, to be exact, and Ciel had a feeling he knew who it was.

He finally pulled himself up from the fallen tree and circled around the house to the back yard. There slumped on the ground by a pile of tinder was Alois, sobbing brokenly while he dug his claws over and over into his forearm. Blood spilled over his pale skin, and he continued raking them back and forth, tearing up his flesh.

"Alois!" Ciel gasped, rushing toward him. "Alois, stop!"

He seized him by the arms and tried to hold him fast as he struggled and flailed against him. He couldn't hold him very long-he was a vampyr, and much stronger than he was-but he kept trying to reach for his arms, desperate to keep him from harming himself further.

Thankfully his intervention was enough to stop him, at least for the time being. He slumped a bit and he reached out to grasp his shoulders again as they shook with sobs.

"Claude," he wailed. "Red...Hannah"

Ciel's chest tightened. He understood. Not all of the vampyrs had made it back.

"Alois," he said again, more softly. "Won't you come sit with me? I found a nice place to sit and rest, and there are plenty of crickets and butterflies about. Won't you come with me to see them?"

Alois sniffed, his expression so despondent it made Ciel forget all of his woes for the time being. He nodded, and he reached down and took his hand to tug him to his feet.

They walked back around the house and to the log near the forest, and Ciel helped him sit down upon it. He sat with his loose shorts bunched up in his hands, still trembling, blood oozing out from the cuts on his arm. Ciel noticed they hadn't started healing yet, and attributed it to the fact that he was much younger than the likes of Sebastian and Ash. Therefore, as a precaution, he tore off a piece of his tattered tunic to wrap tightly around the boys wounds.

Once his work was done he sat beside him, silent for the time being. White cabbage butterflies fluttered around them, and succeeded in calming Alois down enough that Ciel felt like he could speak and get through to him.

"I understand," he said softly. "What it's like to lose someone you love."

Alois's eyes were still focused on the butterflies, and Ciel doubted he realized he was talking to him. Still, he kept on going, as if he were trying to reassure himself as well as the other boy.

"When I was very young," he said, "I lost my mother. The things I do, the-the witchcraft... It isn't very well-received by humans. Most people think it's the Devil's work, though my mother was nothing but kind and gentle. She taught me everything she knew."

Alois drew up his legs and curled his arms around his knees, his eyes still focused in the distance. He had stopped watching the butterflies, though, and Ciel wondered if he was actually listening now.

"We didn't always live in Shady Hollow," he continued. "The town we lived in before was even more superstitious, if you can believe it. When they found out my mother was a witch, they..." His throat tightened. "They killed her. They burned her at the stake."

At last Alois turned to look at Ciel. His wild eyes were piercing and terrible to behold, and suddenly it was Ciel's turn to look away. He stared at the butterflies rising and falling like puffs of cotton in the wind, weaving in and out of the tall grasses.

"We left immediately," Ciel continued, his voice low. "We moved to a different town, and we did everything we could to appear as normal as possible. I tried so hard to keep from practicing my craft, but..."

He took a deep breath and exhaled. "My magic is the only connection with my mother that I have left. When I cast my spells I feel her whispering to me, telling me what I should do, guiding me. It's like I wake up her spirit within me. I...I could never give that up, even in the face of death."

The story trailed off into silence. Ciel turned toward Alois at last, catching his eyes, blue meeting blue. He reached out to touch his hand.

"I am sorry," he said softly. "I did not mean to eclipse your grief with my own. I simply wish for you to know that you aren't alone. The desire to harm oneself- I've experienced it as well. Sometimes it seems as though the only way to withstand the pain of the heart is to somehow cancel it with pain of the body, and I-"

Alois interrupted him by throwing his arms around his shoulders so suddenly it nearly knocked him backward. He clutched at him, his fingers digging hard into his shoulder blades, his breath ragged and trembling with silent sobs.

At first Ciel was awkward and stiff, uncertain in his embrace, but then his arms slowly came around to encircle him as well.

They held one another, their pain entwining and entangling between them, healing one another in the way that only broken people could.

Once Ciel was certain Alois would be fine on his own he went back into the inn, shutting himself in as night began to approach. He went back to Sebastian's room and, tired of researching, started experimenting with his spell casting supplies.

"Mother," he whispered as he put together a haphazard spell using all of the healing herbs he could think of. "Please help me. I'm not powerful enough, I... I need you."

Still he felt nothing. While he was in the midst of his second attempt he heard a groan from the other side of the room- Sebastian was stirring again.

Ciel knew that it was night and that Sebastian would be feral, but he wasn't afraid.

Sebastian wasn't capable of hurting him right then, and even when he wasn't injured he hadn't shown any signs of repeating his previous behavior.

Not since he had tasted Ciel's blood that night in the barn. Not since he'd remembered the connection they shared, their meeting long ago. Just like on that day, Ciel approached Sebastian as he was fallen and dying-and just like on that day, he knew what he had to do.

"You're hungry aren't you?" he murmured, walking toward the bed where Sebastian lay. Sebastian twisted his head on the mattress, groaning, his eyes glassy and far away.

Ciel reached for his dagger, pulling it from his bag and pressing it against the flesh of his arm. He dragged it across his skin just as Alois had been tearing at his own before, tearing the flawless white into rivulets of red.

"Here," he said softly, raising his arm to Sebastian's lips. "Drink."

Sebastian's red eyes were glazed over, unfocused as he weakly drank from Ciel's arm. He didn't bite, didn't suck, didn't take more than what was offered. Ciel shivered as the vampyr's tongue slid over his skin, lapping at the droplets of blood around the wound. He didn't understand the heat that pulsed through his body, the desire to just let Sebastian continue to drink from him, to crawl over his body and sink his fangs deep into his neck, feast upon his lifeblood. He didn't understand much just then.

When he pulled away he returned immediately to his spell casting, and a thought occurred to him. He turned the wound in his arm over the herbs he'd placed in the ash around the fireplace, and allowed a few drops of his blood to fall into the mixture. As soon as they did there was a surge of magic all around him, and Ciel gasped, his heart leaping into his throat.

This had to be it, he thought. This had to be the cure.

He knelt and quickly completed the spell, twisting the symbols in the ashes before mixing the components together to create a salve. Once it was complete he rushed back to Sebastian's side and immediately applied the salve to his wounds, heart pounding all the while.

This has to be it, he thought over and over. _This has to work, it simply has to…_

Once the salve was applied Ciel fell down onto the chair beside Sebastian's bed, watching the vampyr's body intently. He stared at the wounds, willing them to start closing, for the skin to heal and return to its former healthy state, for the rot and the blood to disappear.

Time drew on, and with every second that passed Ciel's heart sank.

"No," he said out loud. "No, no- No, it has to work!"

Nothing was happening, and Ciel felt rage and despair climb within him, combining with the stress and exhaustion to set off a fire in his heart. He stood and cried out in anger, seizing the salve he'd made and flinging it to the ground where the container shattered into pieces.

"Damn it!" he shrieked. "Damn it, damn it, damn it!"

He started pacing the room, dragging his hands through his hair. "I've tried everything," he said loudly to himself. "I've done everything, I just-"

His anger twisted, redirecting itself, and all of a sudden he was shouting at Sebastian, at the almost-corpse beside him.

"You bastard," he cried. "You absolute bastard- You've taken everything, haven't you?"

He moved closer, in tears now, nearly hysterical.

"You took my innocence," he continued. " My innocence, my virginity, my trust. You've taken it all, and now, confound you-you've taken my heart. And I don't understand it- I hate you, and yet all my thoughts are consumed by you, and now you lie there dying and there is nothing I can do- And now I am to be saddled with your child, you son of a bitch!"

He found himself wandering toward the fireplace, toward the mantelpiece where the photographs were sitting and collecting dust. With a howl of misery he seized them and threw them to the ground as well, watching them shatter into pieces.

"You bastard," he said over and over as he threw each one to break upon the stone floor. "You bastard, you bastard-"

His anger was spent almost as quickly as it had arrived, and he collapsed upon the chair beside the fireplace-heartbroken, defeated, and utterly alone.

It had started to rain outside. Ciel sat there silently, listening to the pattering of the droplets on the walls and windows, and gradually let the sound soothe him to sleep.

The sheer exhaustion-both emotional and physical-had taken its toll at last, and Ciel had fallen into a deep sleep. At one point he wandered halfway into consciousness and thought he felt arms reach around him, lifting him up off the chair, but quickly dismissed it as a dream and drifted off again.

Hours passed, and eventually he stirred. As he slowly woke he realized he was no longer sitting in the chair, and instead lay upon a mattress-and believed wholeheartedly for a solid moment that he was back at home, that he hadn't returned to the vampyr's village at all, that he was waking up from what had to be a very vivid nightmare.

Then he opened his eyes and saw Sebastian.

Immediately he jerked awake, sitting straight up from where he'd been lying on the bed that Sebastian had occupied only hours before. He couldn't believe his eyes-

Sebastian was alive, healed, and kneeling by his bedside like a lost puppy.

"Sebastian?" he said out loud, unable to believe his eyes. "What- How did you...?"

He realized a moment later that it was still night, and that Sebastian was feral.

Words were generally useless then, so Ciel saved his breath, looking down at Sebastian and trying to make sense of what had happened.

My spell must have worked, he thought, and his heart began to pound as he realized what that meant.

His spell had worked. He had defeated dark magic all on his own-dark magic cast by Ash, no less. With nothing but his own power he had managed to heal a cursed body, mend its flesh and essentially bring it back to life.

It was overwhelming, and Ciel couldn't help the stunned laughter that left his lips.

How ironic was it that his greatest moment of despair was what conjured up his greatest magical effort to date?

He felt the mattress give beside him and was torn from his thoughts when Sebastian climbed from the floor onto the bed. Sebastian put both hands on Ciel's shoulders, and Ciel stared at him, confused and uncertain what to expect. He felt his pulse quicken when Sebastian pushed at them, easing Ciel down until he was lying flat on the mattress again.

"Sleep," said Sebastian. "I will watch over you."

Ciel wasn't certain of the validity of that statement, but he felt tired enough to obey. The thrill of having achieved a new level of magic wasn't enough to combat how exhausted he was-still so much, even after having slept, and he could only chalk that up to his pregnancy-so he let his eyes close again, safe and secure in the knowledge that he was much more powerful than he'd ever thought he was.

And that no one could take that away.

* * *

><p>Morning came, and Ciel woke slowly. He could smell the embers from the fire as it died, and hear the rattling of the windowpanes as the wind blew against them from outside. The windows were fogged up from the morning chill, but Ciel felt warm and secure- He was in a bed, after all, carefully held in a pair of strong arms encircling him from behind.<p>

Ciel moved carefully, twisting in Sebastian's arms, which fell to loop loosely around his waist. He blinked, clearing his vision of sleep, and examined the vampyr's still-slumbering face, which was peaceful and beautiful. Ciel had never noticed how long Sebastian's eyelashes were, and how black, and he found himself staring for a long moment before Sebastian stirred beside him.

Two bright scarlet eyes opened, looking up at Ciel. Sebastian's fingers wandered from Ciel's waist to his face, touching the smooth skin briefly before trailing down his neck.

Ciel shivered.

"May I...?" Sebastian murmured, his voice a low growl deep in his chest.

Ciel didn't have to ask what he needed. He merely nodded, lips pressed together, and rolled onto his back so Sebastian could settle above him.

Sebastian descended quickly, and Ciel gasped as the telltale sharp pain prickled through his neck and sent shivers throughout his entire body. Sebastian drank slowly, carefully, taking only what was needed. Ciel was sure to keep absolutely still, staring up at the ceiling as Sebastian fed upon him, trying to make sense of the way his body seemed to throb with heat-with need-more and more with every moment that passed.

Once Sebastian was done he pulled away gently, sure to rub at his mouth to scrub away anything that might have lingered on his lips. He grabbed at the sheet then, and pressed it tightly against the puncture wounds at Ciel's throat to stop the bleeding.

"I've got it," Ciel insisted, taking the sheet from Sebastian's hand.

Sebastian looked over him with concern. "Do you feel ill? Shall I bring you something?"

"Some food please," said Ciel. "As much as you can find. I'm very hungry."

I am eating for two now, he thought, but didn't share that information with Sebastian.

He wasn't ready to tell him yet, not after everything that had happened. Not while he was still working out his feelings.

With a nod Sebastian was off, disappearing outside the inn to forage for food.

Ciel was left there sitting on the bed feeling rather awkward, and he decided to get up and clean the room a little. It was all strangely domestic-Sebastian going out to hunt and gather, and Ciel cleaning and organizing-and Ciel had no idea how his life had gotten to this point.

He packed away his spellcasting supplies and picked up the photographs that he'd thrown around the room the night before. They were all pictures of people he didn't recognize, but he still felt ashamed of himself for destroying them. Carefully he placed them back on the mantelpiece, thinking back to his outrage the previous night and how it compared to the strange sense of tranquility he now felt.

It was remarkable how different everything seemed. Now that he knew what kind of power he possessed- what he was truly capable of-much of his fear had all but evaporated. The vampyrs, as he knew now, were not invincible. Sebastian was no longer the terrifying beast who laid claim to him and would never let him go. He was his own now, and he felt liberated in a way he'd never experienced before.

His thoughts were interrupted when the door opened and Sebastian walked in again, holding a skinned rabbit.

Ciel grimaced. "You know I need to cook that, don't you?"

"Quiet," Sebastian muttered in return. "You ought to be grateful I caught it for you in the first place. Wildlife is scarce around these parts, especially with the weather growing cold."

"I ought to be grateful?" Ciel retorted, raising his eyebrows. "I happened to have saved your life last night, and I have yet to hear a single word of thanks. If you ask me, you should expect to bring me game any time I please."

Sebastian's lip curled but he didn't argue. Instead he set the rabbit aside and worked on stoking a fresh fire to cook it with.

"Oh- Might we go outdoors instead?" Ciel insisted. "I'm so tired of being cooped up in this awful place. And since I am no longer your prisoner, I can do as I please, correct?"

He stared pointedly at Sebastian as if daring him to argue. Sebastian straightened up, looking displeased and at odds with himself, and then he sighed.

"Very well," he grudgingly agreed. "We will cook in the pit outside, but you'll need to most of the work. I haven't cooked an animal in a hundred years."

Satisfied, Ciel beamed and followed him outdoors.

Things were strangely tranquil as they sat outside, slowly roasting the rabbit over the open fire. Ciel saw Bard leading Mey out of the hotel, holding her up as she struggled to walk. She seemed to be faring better than before, and Ciel found himself oddly relieved. Their numbers had thinned so much since the trip to the city-and as hesitant as he was to admit it, Ciel had come to care for the vampyrs in his own way.

He sat silently upon a large rock as he watched the rabbit cook, occasionally looking over at Sebastian. The warm orange firelight lit up his features, softening them.

"Sebastian?" Ciel said softly, certain to speak so that only the two of them could hear.

"I must ask you..." He bit his lip, hesitating, then pressed on. "Does Ash still live?"

Sebastian stared into the fire, his expression intense, and he said the word Ciel had been dreading to hear. "Yes." His eyes narrowed, filled with contempt. "Though I fought with all my might. We all did, but even with our combined strength, he was too much for us."

Ciel sighed, his heart heavy. "So he cannot be killed," he murmured, arms locked tightly about his knees as he curled up beside Sebastian. "He must have learned some kind of black magic, or has joined forces with a witch who practices it. Doing so might have made him near invincible."

Sebastian didn't reply. He looked angry, but also defeated, like something deep within him had broken. Ciel examined his face, contemplating his next question, and decided to just press on.

"It was him, wasn't it?" he said quietly. "He changed you into a vampyr. Is that why you wanted revenge?"

"It is," Sebastian replied as he turned the stick the rabbit had been skewered upon, cooking it evenly. "But that is not the only reason. The harms he has done to me are great in number."

Ciel was quiet for a moment, just watching Sebastian cook-and then he ventured, "Tell me."

At first it didn't seem as though Sebastian were going to comply, but then he began to speak once more. His gaze was far away, as if it were lost in a different time, hundreds of years before.

"I'm sure you have noticed," he began, "that turning someone into a vampyr binds them to you. It is why my own vampyrs are so close to me, and Ash's to him. I too had that bond with him, my maker. I stayed by his side for a long time after he turned me. I could not face my family in my new, monstrous state- I had no choice but to follow him wherever he went."

Ciel listened intently, fascinated by the tale. At last, the mysteries surrounding Sebastian were being revealed to him, and he was determined to hear it all.

"Ash is starved for power," Sebastian continued, still turning the rabbit. "He lives and breathes for it. He, like all of us, is deeply wounded. I suppose he thought he could cover those wounds, fill them somehow, by harming and wounding others. He wanted total dominance of the city. He was indiscriminate in who he attacked. It was I who convinced him to limit those he harmed to criminals and undesirables, and to only make vampyrs out of those who were willing. He listened for a long time-but as you've learned, being a vampyr means losing your humanity over time... Having it corrode away as if poisoned."

"So he betrayed you?" Ciel asked softly, tentatively.

"It was inevitable," Sebastian replied. "Over the course of a hundred years, even more, our relationship grew strained. It was close to my hundred and eighty-third year when Ash finally snapped, and he drove me out of the city. He abandoned me in the outskirts of a small village, and left me to starve to death in a cemetery."

Ciel's breath caught in his throat. For a moment he couldn't speak, awestruck as the final pieces of his memory clicked into place.

"That was when I found you." He spoke in a taut whisper. "When I was a child. I fed you my blood."

"You saved my life," Sebastian murmured. "I recognized you, after I bit you for the first time, and that is why I did not harm you further after the night we took you. You and I formed a bond that day, so long ago- You saved me, and then I reciprocated the act. Something tied us together then, you and I."

"Yes," Ciel replied breathlessly. "I remember now. As I left for home, I ran into some huntsmen in the woods. They-they tried to hurt me. I remember being so frightened I blocked it out in my memory, but now I know- You came after me. You saved me from them."

"I did," Sebastian affirmed. "And I will continue to lay waste to all who would harm you."

"You protected me from Ash," said Ciel, ignoring the food now. He didn't even feel hungry anymore. "And he harmed you so badly..."

"There is little I can do," Sebastian interjected as he pulled the rabbit close to inspect it. "To undo the damage I have inflicted upon you, little robin. I wanted to release you, so that you may go on about your life and be rid of me. And yet..."

He turned to face Ciel at last, his eyes searching, confused.

"You came back," he stated. "And I know not why."

Ciel was quiet, uncertain. His eyes fell down to the rabbit in Sebastian's hands.

"Is it ready?" he asked, his voice even more high-pitched than usual.

"It should be," said Sebastian as he lay the cooked rabbit down on a swath of tattered cloth. Ciel had added some herbs to it for taste, and Sebastian leaned down to sniff at it, curious.

"You can have some," said Ciel with a smirk. "I know you normally devour your food while it's still half-alive, but I assure you this will go down just fine."

He took out his knife and portioned it out, then started to eat. Sebastian watched him uncertainly as he ate considerably more than he said he would, eyebrows raised in amusement and bewilderment. Ciel didn't eat so much as feed, all but stuffing his face, suddenly ravenous.

The rabbit was almost gone before Ciel realized how much he'd been eating and looked up at Sebastian contritely. "I'm sorry," he said, embarrassed. "I suppose I was hungrier than I thought."

"I can fetch another," Sebastian offered, but Ciel shook his head.

"This will do," he replied, then paused. "Thank you," he added.

"Ciel," said Sebastian carefully, and it was damn near phenomenal to see him looking so uncertain,-shy even. "I must ask you... Why did you come back? You could have gone back to your village, to your family. You could have been rid of me forever."

"You're right," said Ciel simply. "But I had to come back."

"Why?"

Ciel opened his mouth, prepared to answer-when suddenly he heard rustling in the leaves behind him, a parting of the forest, and a woman emerged from beyond.

She was quite beaten, covered with bloody gashes and painful-looking bruises, and she staggered as she walked.

It was Hannah.

Immediately the other vampyrs rushed forward to greet her, except for Sebastian.

Sebastian held out an arm, shielding Ciel, and stood slowly to look over his battered comrade.

"Hannah," he said tersely. "You're alive."

"Don't sound so damned pleased to see me," Hannah replied, her tone harsh.

"What happened?" demanded Timber, holding back Alois, who looked distraught.

Hannah looked over at the blond boy, her expression conflicted, then she turned to Sebastian.

"My brother and Red are alive," she told her leader. "Ash still has them. I'm certain he means to use them to lure you back."

Alois made a desperate sound, wringing his hands. Timber tightened his arm around him, looking uncertain. Ciel's eyes were fixed on Sebastian, watching him as he wrestled with his decision.

"We should go back," said Ciel at last, surprising everyone. "Even if it is a trap, we can't simply leave them there."

Alois nodded emphatically. Everyone's eyes fell on Sebastian, waiting for an answer.

"All right," he said at last. "But Ciel comes with us."

"What?" said Bard incredulously, and Sebastian silenced with a look.

"He has more power than any of us," Sebastian explained. "And we are clearly dealing with magic. None of us understand it but Ciel. So I need all of you to protect him if we are to save Claude and Red."

He turned toward Ciel. "Is this all right?" he asked, his voice gruff.

Ciel was quiet for a moment. Though Sebastian didn't know it yet, Ciel had a child within his womb. He had more to lose than ever before-and that, perhaps, was what helped him make his decision. With more to live for, he had more courage than he'd ever had in his young life. He wasn't about to let anyone die on his account.

"I'll go," he said with a nod of his head, and Sebastian nodded back.

"Will you tend to Hannah's wounds?" Sebastian requested. "We leave tomorrow when the sun rises." Ciel nodded, and Sebastian turned once more to the group.

"If any one of you so much as sniffs Ciel without my permission," he announced, "I will tear your limbs asunder. Is that understood?"

He looked pointedly at Timber, who nodded, looking uncomfortable.

"Very well," said Sebastian. "We leave tomorrow. And this time?"

His eyes darkened.

"This time, Ash will die."

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><p><strong>Reviews are appreciated! <strong>


	11. Destroying

**Hey hey hey, new chapter. Warnings: Violence.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>They left at dawn. The air was cool and crisp, and Ciel held his cloak tightly around his shoulders as they walked through the morning chill. It was the exact same journey they'd taken before-only this time, Ciel wasn't a prisoner. It was an odd feeling, to retread the same ground in entirely different circumstances.<p>

Ciel wasn't marching toward some unknown doom, carrying the weight of dread in his heart- Instead, all he had there was vengeance, and a desire to finish something that had started long ago, when Ciel had first found Sebastian alone and starving in the cemetery. Ciel felt as if he were linked to Ash the same way he was to Sebastian, and he wouldn't be able to feel rest-nor at peace with the birth of his baby-until the vampyr leader was dealt with.

Sebastian was oddly doting during the journey. Ciel wasn't a fool; he knew the other man was attempting to make up for his previous cruelty, and though endearing, it would never be enough to heal the scars Sebastian had left on Ciel's body and heart. Nothing would.

Indeed, the undercurrent of their relationship was one of turmoil, like a rushing stream buried beneath layers of dirt and rock, ever-present. Ciel wanted to stay above ground, though, so badly-for the sake of their child, and for his own sake as well, and thus far things had been progressing relatively well.

It wasn't until the eve of the first day of their journey when things began to stir underground once again. Ciel found a place to sleep well away from the other vampyrs, with Sebastian close by as his guard. While he trusted Sebastian not to attack him again, he still found himself restless-and realized with an unpleasant stir in his belly that his unease probably came from their proximity to the lair. Ciel wished the company would just keep moving; he wanted to be as far away from those witches as he could manage, and yet there was nothing he could do but try and sleep through the night.

Sebastian was crouched beside him, alert and focused, looking around raptly as if certain an attacker would approach at any moment. It made Ciel nervous, and he tried not to pay attention to it. He rolled onto his side, gently resting a hand on his belly.

_It'll be alright, little one,_ he thought. _Soon this will all be over, and we'll go back home. I'll find a way we can live happily. I promise._

He fell asleep like that, cradled in grass and leaves with his hand placed protectively over his womb. A few hours passed before he stirred awake, feeling warmth crowding around him, and he squirmed over on to his back to find that Sebastian had moved to lie beside him.

Ciel met his eyes, found them staring at him intensely, and blushed. Sebastian reached out to touch Ciel's cheek, his cool fingers surprisingly gentle as they stroked the line of his cheekbone and jaw line then trailed down his neck. His eyes were red, pupils blown and wild like they always were at night, and his body was hot and pulsing and so close.

He leaned in to nose at Ciel's neck, his tongue darting out to touch the skin, and Ciel shivered. Sebastian lifted his body up off the ground and slid over Ciel, hovering above him on all fours, looking down at him with a mixture of tenderness and desire. Ciel found himself unable to move, lying still and silent as Sebastian's hand began to explore, sliding down Ciel's chest to his side to his hip, slipping underneath the fabric of his tunic. His fingers touched bare flesh and Ciel gasped, his heart leaping into his throat to flutter there like a hummingbird.

"Sebastian," he said, the word knotting up in his throat. It barely sounded like a word at all. Sebastian leaned down to catch it with his mouth, kissing Ciel deeply, a possessive kiss that stole Ciel's breath away.

It felt amazing. Ciel felt surrounded by Sebastian, his fierce and indomitable wolf, and felt utterly protected from the evil he could feel stirring in the woods around them. Sebastian was nothing like Edward- Edward was kind and gentle and touched Ciel like he might handle a piece of fine glass, tentative and terrified that he might slip and break something. Edward's love was the weight of a feather on Ciel's shoulder, soft and beautiful but easily blown away. Sebastian's was tight and crushing but somehow comforting, like being swaddled, soothing like darkness could be when exhaustion set in. Sebastian's love was like rope binding Ciel's wrists so tight they hurt, but absolving him of the need to move his hands at all, stripping him of all control to the point where he had no choice but to let go.

Ciel kissed back, surrendering for the moment, lost in the tangle of emotions he suddenly found himself caught in. Then Sebastian was touching him again, his hand flat against the small of his back as he crushed their bodies together, and Ciel felt it-Sebastian's hardness, hot and insistent, flush against him.

"Stop," Ciel said immediately.

Sebastian did. He released Ciel, albeit slowly, looking down at him with barely restrained heat in his eyes. "Why?" he growled, his voice deep and rumbling in his throat. It made Ciel quake with desire.

"Because," Ciel said firmly, unwavering. "You granted yourself access to my body without my consent, just like before. You are not entitled to it and you never will be." He sat up, pushing against Sebastian. "Get off of me."

There was a part of Ciel that still feared that Sebastian wouldn't listen, that he would continue his attempted conquest, but it didn't happen. Sebastian pulled himself off of Ciel and got to his feet, pacing, his nerves raw and wild with animal energy. Ciel watched him warily, wondering how much he could reason with Sebastian when he was in his feral state.

"I told you," Sebastian growled suddenly, startling Ciel. "That time in the barn- I did not know who you were! If I had, I wouldn't have-"

"Does that really matter?" Ciel interjected angrily. "What if I hadn't been the child who saved you long ago? If I had been just another innocent villager, would you have continued to ravage me over and over again? Would you have torn me asunder and devoured me, like you did to my friend Finny?"

Ciel's words seemed to hit Sebastian hard. He stared over at him, his expression unreadable-and then he rolled his neck muscles, his eyes flashing wild, and he turned to leave.

"Where are you going?" Ciel called out at him, worried.

"To find something to kill," Sebastian replied. "Go back to sleep."

Ciel considered arguing, but exhaustion won out and he obeyed, turning to lie on his side on the ground once again. He was asleep moments later.

Sebastian still hadn't returned when Ciel woke up. He pulled himself to his feet and headed back to the vampyr's camp, and was surprised to see Sebastian wasn't around there, either. He didn't ask any questions, and instead found a tree to sit under while he searched through his bag for food to have for breakfast.

He was halfway through an apple when he heard footsteps nearby, and saw Sebastian walking toward him from a distance, carrying a pair of dead rabbits in one hand and what looked like a bunch of plants in the other. He approached Ciel and handed over the plants, which Ciel accepted, puzzled.

"Ingredients," Sebastian mumbled. "For your spells."

Indeed, the bundle of plants contained specimens that Ciel hadn't seen growing anywhere in the seemingly barren woods around them, and he was both surprised and delighted. His eyes lit up as he looked over at Sebastian, who seemed both embarrassed and distinctly proud of himself.

"Some of these are very rare," Ciel breathed. "Wherever did you find them?"

Sebastian just shrugged. "Around," he replied. "Do you want me to cook these for you?" he added, gesturing to the rabbits.

"I'll take care of it," Ciel assured him. Sebastian handed them over before going to join the other vampyrs, and Ciel accepted them, carefully hiding his smile.

They continued their journey to the city, and every time they stopped to rest Ciel focused on practicing his magic. He could feel it flowing within him more strongly than ever before, and he wondered if it was a result of his practice or another factor altogether. Regardless, he was able to complete spells he'd never mastered before, both offensive and defensive, and he began to feel more and more confident about their upcoming confrontation with Ash.

He had just managed to complete an invisibility spell-something he'd been working on for ages, since he first started practicing magic after his mother died-when he felt his stomach begin to stir with nausea. The scent of the herbs was starting to get to him, and he quickly stashed them away, grimacing as he clutched his belly.

"Calm down little one," he murmured, rubbing his swollen belly, which was growing a little more each day. He knew he was putting off telling Sebastian about his pregnancy-for fear of distracting him more than anything else-but soon it would be impossible to hide.

The next day, they headed into the city.

It was just as vast and bustling as Ciel remembered, but this time, they didn't stop for any reason. They headed straight for cathedral, through the many winding roads that led them there, deep into the dark and grimy underbelly of the city.

They stopped just shy of the churchyard, and Ciel turned to the vampyrs, holding his satchel of herbs and spellbooks. He was anxious and uncertain, not yet entirely confident in his abilities, but nothing if not determined.

"I don't know how long the invisibility spell will hold," he explained. "I've only just perfected it. But it should help us sneak inside long enough to find Claude and Red and free them...if you'll all trust me."

"There's far more of them than of us," Hannah warned, her voice dangerous. "If your little spell doesn't work, witch, then you'll kill us all-"

"Mind your tongue," Sebastian snapped at her. "You knew what this would entail before we left our village. If you'd like to run off with your tail between your legs, though, then so be it."

Hannah frowned but fell silent.

Ciel passed around the satchel, and each vampyr took a sprig from inside and ate it. Sebastian was last, eyes intently focused on Ciel as he ate, entirely trusting in a way Ciel wasn't sure he'd ever seen before. It was a fierce, determined trust-more like loyalty than anything, and Ciel was once again reminded of a dog, endlessly steadfast at its master's side.

The magic began to take effect, slow and surreal, and Ciel was startled when the vampyrs around him vanished before his eyes. He looked around rapidly and gasped when he felt Sebastian seize him by the hand and drag him toward the cathedral entrance.

It was bizarre. Ciel could feel Sebastian, feel his hand and his solid presence beside him, hear his breath-and yet he couldn't see him, couldn't see himself either, and it was utterly jarring. He had to focus, though, especially as they entered the cathedral and found Ash near the altar again.

A broad, well-built young man was tied down across the altar, looking terrified.

Ash circled him slowly, trailing one hand over the man's broad chest lazily as he smirked down at him.

"Please," the man was begging, sobbing. "I don't want to die-"

"Mm, yes," said Ash softly. "Beg for your life. It's music to my ears." He leaned down, licking a stripe over the man's taut abs.

"Should we strike now?" Ciel asked Sebastian in a harsh whisper.

Sebastian replied with a harsh "Shh!"

The young man continued to cry and beg for his life, which seemed to bore Ash more and more with each passing moment. Lazily, with the air of someone performing some mundane everyday task, Ash took a sword in hand from where it had been lying nearby and thrust it deep into the young man's chest. Blood spurted everywhere, covering Ash's face and clothes, and he licked it off absently before darting down to begin eating the young man in earnest.

Ciel was frozen on the spot, staring at the scene with morbid fascination, and he felt his stomach stir violently with nausea. He clutched his belly and let out a whimper, which came out far too loud- Ash's head snapped up, and his eyes darted about for the source of the sound.

Ciel clapped his hand over his mouth, holding his breath, and Ash seemed to give up and leaned down to continue feeding on the corpse. Ciel and Sebastian slowly advanced then, silent as they could manage, ready to attack the vampyr leader from behind. Ciel knew no one could hear his heartbeat but him, but it seemed to echo across the vaulted ceilings as it pounded relentlessly within his chest, making him dizzy. He wanted Sebastian to strike, wanted it all to be over, but the moments dragged on horribly.

In fact, it seemed as though time had been suspended indefinitely. At first Ciel thought he was imagining things, that he only thought that the world had suddenly suspended itself, that time had turned agonizingly slow- But then he realized that everything had literally frozen around him. He stumbled backward, stunned and confused, and his eyes searched the cathedral wildly before they landed on a familiar figure.

It was Angela. She was dressed in a white and black gown that was adorned with furs, and a string of vicious-looking talons looped around her neck. A small, mysterious smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she looked Ciel up and down.

"What are you doing here?" said Ciel, staring at her unblinkingly.

"Honestly," Angela drawled, walking towards the altar. "You had to have wondered where Ash was getting his black magic from. He couldn't have hurt Sebastian like that on his own. Surely you figured that out for yourself?"

"You're friends with him."

Angela shrugged. "More like colleagues," she replied. The long train of her dress dragged upon the ground as she walked around the figures of Sebastian and Ash, comically frozen in time upon the dais. Sebastian was fully visible now, fangs bared as he raised a clawed hand at Ash's back. It was deeply surreal.

"So are you here to kill us?" said Ciel in a small voice, his tone guarded, his eyes locked on Angela as she glided around the scene. "To do Ash's work for him?"

"Now why would I do that?" Angela replied, raising an eyebrow at Ciel. "I hurt Sebastian for Ash, certainly, but only because I owed him a favor. If I killed you and Sebastian now, what would I get out of it?"

"I don't know," said Ciel hollowly. "I don't claim to understand how your kind thinks."

"My kind?" Angela threw back her head and laughed. "Oh, Ciel, dear. Don't you mean our kind?"

Ciel eyed her warily. "What are you talking about?"

"An invisibility spell is no simple task," Angela replied, walking over to Sebastian's frozen figure and ruffling his hair playfully. "I was able to undo it, of course, but it still isn't the work of a novice- Nor a spell completed by anyone who has good intentions."

"What do you mean?"

Angela rolled her eyes. "You aren't an innocent little white witch, Ciel, despite what you may think. You are capable of so much more, and we only wish for you to tap into that potential instead of squandering your gifts on little healing spells."

"I am not like you," said Ciel, much more loudly than he'd intended, and his voice reverberated off the cathedral walls. "You have a contract with the Devil- You hurt people, kill people. Pain is the source of your power, debauchery, evil."

"I won't disagree," said Angela, walking toward him, and he took a step back instinctively. "But I don't think I'm mistaken when I say you came here to kill Ash- To sneak up on him and murder him, no less. Hardly anything found in the contract of a white witch, hm?"

"He's evil!" Ciel argued. "He-"

"Shut up," Angela snapped, waving her hand, and all of a sudden Ciel found himself unable to speak. He stared wildly at her in fear as she advanced on him, backing him slowly up against the wall.

"You know," she muttered. "Perhaps I should kill you. Then Ash would owe me a favor. A big one too..."

Ciel, unable to speak, could only look upon her in terror as he was cornered like a prey animal, with no place left to run. Instinctively his hand shot down, placing itself on his belly, a protective gesture that came from something deep and primal within him-

-and Angela stopped.

Her eyes flickered downward at his hand, narrowed for a moment, and then widened. A smile spread upon her face.

"Well well," she murmured, then spoke up. "There- See that? The sword."

It took Ciel a moment to realize he wasn't about to be killed, and his eyes followed her pointed finger to the bloody sword lying beside the half-eaten corpse of the young man on the altar.

Ciel rushed over to it and took it in hand. He looked over at Angela, uncertain.

"What do you want from me?" he demanded, though his tone wasn't as firm as he would have liked.

"Nothing," Angela replied lightly. "I just think I'll try playing on the other side this time. Go on- Take that sword, run him through. That is why you're here, is it not?"

Ciel hesitated, staring at Ash's frozen form. His expression was hideous and feral, his pale features covered in blood and flesh. It was easy to loathe him then-and yet Ciel couldn't bring himself to end his life, however wretched it was.

Angela was playing him, after all. He was certain of it.

He hesitated too long. Angela shrugged, and in a flash she disappeared-leaving the spell to crumble around her. Immediately Sebastian and Ash were moving again, and Sebastian's claws connected with Ash's flesh, causing the other vampyr to howl in pain and swerve around to face him.

The two vampyrs were locked in combat, focused only on causing one another the most pain as possible. Ash pinned Sebastian down, fangs darting in to pierce his throat, and Sebastian's cry of pain echoed among the rafters above.

For a few seconds, Ciel was frozen. He stood there helplessly, fingers clutched around the hilt of the sword- And then he was moving, his motions mechanical like the limbs of a puppet controlled by strings, and he raised the blade high in the air above Ash's back.

He plunged it into his heart.

The vampyr leader went rigid, eyes bulging with shock as his blood splattered all over Sebastian. Ciel, suddenly overcome with a rush of wild energy, yanked the blade from Ash's chest then swung it hard across his neck, decapitating him.

Ash's head fell to the ground and rolled, toppling off the edge of the dais and landing with a dull thud on the aisle floor. The rest of his body slumped down on top of Sebastian, who grimaced in disgust and shoved it away before staring up at Ciel in shock.

Ciel was shaking. His flesh had gone white, splattered red with blood, and his eyes were wide and feral. It was as if Angela had planned this all along-and perhaps she had. Perhaps she'd known that killing Ash would trigger something ugly and violent in Ciel, would pump adrenaline through every inch of his body until he felt like an animal, teeth stained red from the hunt, whittled down to his base instincts and nothing more.

"Ciel..."

Sebastian was speaking, on his feet and moving slowly toward where Ciel stood, hand outstretched. Ciel responded by dropping the sword to the ground, raising his hands in front of him and staring at them as if he'd never seen them before.

He could feel it. He'd let the darkness in.

* * *

><p><em>"Mama, what's 'dark magic'?"<em>

_Rachel looked up from where she was writing in her spellbook, surprised._

_Reaching down, she took Ciel's tiny hand from where it was dragging a stick through the ashes on the firebed in front of them, and he pouted at her; he wanted to keep drawing, but she seemed serious._

_"Dark magic is the opposite of what we do, Ciel," Rachel told him seriously, looking into his eyes. "It is formidable power, capable of doing the impossible. With dark magic, one can make their wildest dreams come true, to conquer their enemies, to become near invincible."_

_Ciel's smooth forehead wrinkled in confusion. "But isn't lots of power good?"_

_There was a long pause. Rachel sighed, and slid off her chair to kneel beside Ciel on the floor. She took the stick from his fingers and set it down, then took both of his hands into her own, looking at him earnestly._

_"Ciel," she said softly. "Power has many forms. One form of power-the sort that dark witches wield-is used for hurting and subjugating others. It is a cruel power, a thankless power, but a great one. But then-then there is our power, Ciel. The magic we get from the Earth, that is given to us by nature, that we use for healing our loved ones. No one force is greater than the other, do you understand?"_

_Ciel just watched her with wide, trusting eyes, and he nodded slowly._

_"Dark magic will give you power," Rachel continued. "But it will also leave you hollow inside. It will drain you of your heart, your humanity- You must never let it, Ciel. You cannot let the darkness tempt you. Do you understand, my love?"_

_"Yes Mama," Ciel replied, and Rachel smiled. She leaned down to kiss him on the cheek._

_"I believe in you," she whispered. "You will be a powerful witch someday, even more so than I. And you will do so by keeping your heart pure and free of sin. I believe this, Ciel... With all my heart and soul."_

_Ciel just smiled, then pointed at the discarded stick._

_"May I draw some more?"_

* * *

><p>"Little robin," said Sebastian softly, slowly approaching. "Ciel..."<p>

"Stay away!" Ciel shrieked, backing up until he had nowhere left to go, pressing up against the wall. He held his hands in front of him, a feeble defense as he shook wildly like a frightened animal.

"You can't come near me," he continued in a harsh whisper, staring at Sebastian in fear and desperation. "I- I'll hurt you. I'll kill you. Oh-oh god..." He looked down at his bloodied hands once more. "I killed him. I killed someone. Mother forgive me-"

Sebastian said nothing, and just continued to walk slowly toward Ciel. Ciel looked up at him again, crying out and throwing his hands in front of him once more, like a shield.

"Listen to my words!" Ciel cried shrilly when Sebastian just wouldn't stop walking.

"I- I'm dangerous, I'm a killer, I let the darkness in- Don't come closer. Are you not listening? Don't come-"

His pleas were cut short when Sebastian's arms came around him, pulling him away from the wall and up against the vampyr's chest. Sebastian held him strong, gripping him tightly, surrounding him like a cocoon. Ciel melted against him, his eyes focused on the corpses strewn about the dais, his entire body shaking.

"What am I going to do?" he said finally, his voice a frightened whisper. "I'm a dark witch now, aren't I? I- I'm wicked, like Ash. Like you-"

"No," said Sebastian, holding Ciel even tighter. "You are nothing like us, like me. Never say that. You are good and pure- Don't look at them." He covered Ciel's eyes with his hand. "It's finished."

The air was suddenly full of the echoing sound of footsteps, and Sebastian looked up to see his vampyrs entering the cathedral from the passage beyond. They looked battle-worn and bloody, and Claude and Red were among them.

Hannah walked in front of the rest, her eyes wide as he took in the sight before her.

"You finished him," she said in awe. "Ash's dead- We've won."

"Let's eat him," Mey snarled, taking a step forward, and a few of the younger vampyrs followed.

"Wait!" barked Sebastian, stopping them in their tracks. "Stay where you are."

Ciel had made a frightened sound in his arms, and he wasn't about to exacerbate things. He kept his arms around the trembling young man, shielding him from the violence around them as he looked upon his coven.

"This place is ours now," he announced, his voice carrying throughout the cathedral. The vampyrs responded with resounding cries of victory, terrible to hear. Ciel looked up from where he'd been hiding his face in Sebastian's shoulder, and saw that Sebastian's vampyrs had the corpses of Ash's group in tow, baring them like game about to be skinned and boned and devoured.

"Let this be our dining hall," Sebastian continued, waving a hand over the cathedral. "Tonight we feast, in celebration of our victory!"

There were more shouts, more monstrous cries, and Ciel suddenly felt sick. He didn't want to be anywhere near this, to witness the vampyrs gorging themselves on their slaughtered prizes. Suddenly, terribly, he felt a pang of homesickness, of warm hearths and kind words and comfort, of a human world he never really belonged to anyway.

He sagged against Sebastian, and Sebastian responded by hefting him up in strong arms, holding him bridal-style. As the vampyrs began to noisily feast and revel around them, Sebastian carried Ciel away and into the passage beyond, heading for The Academy.

Ciel was silent the entire way. He knew he ought to have been wary-he had no idea where Sebastian was taking him, after all-but he couldn't muster the energy. Instead he simply held on until their dark and dimly lit surroundings turned into richly painted walls and ornate furniture, the likes of which Ciel had never seen in his life.

"Where are we?" he said at last, his voice raspy and strange to his own ears.

"The Academy," Sebastian replied. "I attended this school when I was a young human."

The prospect of learning more about Sebastian's human years was a fascinating one, but also one for another time. Sebastian took Ciel into the dormitories-all decrepit but nonetheless beautiful, holding on to their timelessness-and lowered him down at last on one of the beds.

"I must go oversee the others," Sebastian murmured, brushing his hand over Ciel's forehead and through his hair. "But I will come back at nightfall to protect you. Rest now. You will be safe here, I swear it."

"Sebastian," Ciel murmured suddenly.

"Yes?"

"Am I ruined?"

Sebastian paused then, and sighed heavily.

"No," he said firmly. "I..." His expression grew guilty. "I once feared I had ruined you, little robin. But you did not give me that power, nor do you give it to anyone. You...you are far stronger than I."

With that, he got up to leave-but just like before, when Sebastian had lay dying and had reached out to Ciel in childlike desperation, Ciel grabbed him before he could move away.

"Don't go," Ciel mumbled. "I have to tell you something."

"It can wait," said Sebastian, his voice uncharacteristically soft, and he moved Ciel's hand away.

"No," Ciel interjected weakly.

Sebastian was on his way out though, heading toward the door to wrangle his pack, and Ciel couldn't let him go. He sat up and called out as soon as Sebastian reached the door.

"I'm having your child!"

Sebastian's hand froze on the doorknob, and this time no spell was needed to still him.

"What?"

Ciel's hands knotted around the tattered sheets, and he repeated himself, his voice much smaller. "I- I'm having your child. I'm pregnant."

Slowly, hesitantly, he looked up to see Sebastian's face. The expression he saw there was strange- It didn't look like Sebastian at all. It looked like someone nearly two hundred years younger, a teenager grappling with life, a leaf in the wind. It looked undeniably, inextricably human.

"Is that why you came back?" Sebastian asked after a long period of silence, his tone strangely vulnerable.

"I had to," Ciel replied. "My village doesn't know of my status as a witch, and thus my-my anatomy. I had to leave or I'd likely suffer the same fate as my mother."

He swallowed. "I'd be burned at the stake."

Finally Sebastian moved away from the door and headed once more to the bed.

Slowly he reached out, taking Ciel's hand in his own and holding it firmly. It wasn't a gentle touch, but Sebastian wasn't gentle. He was firm and protective and unwavering, and Ciel could see a new resolve forming in his beautiful eyes.

"You will remain here," Sebastian said at last. "You'll be safer in the city, and there are doctors here. I trust in your magic, but..." He trailed off and bit his lip for a moment, silent, and Ciel was unsure if he was finished speaking or not.

Then he continued, his voice and eyes faraway, oddly vulnerable.

"I heard you that night," he said at last.

Ciel squinted at him, uncertain, waiting for an explanation.

"As I lay dying," Sebastian clarified. "Under the spell that wicked witch had cast. You were angry, throwing things about. You called me a bastard."

Ciel blushed; Sebastian smirked.

"I remember now," Sebastian continued. "I remember you had said you were with child, though my addled mind failed to grasp your words. I also remember one more thing."

Sebastian found Ciel's eyes, and gripped his hand more tightly.

"You said I had taken your heart."

Ciel looked away, embarrassed, but Sebastian reached out to press two fingers beneath his chin and turn his head back toward him. Sebastian leaned in, inquisitive, looking again like a curious little dog.

"I don't know," Ciel said truthfully. "I hate what you've done to me." His voice raised slowly as he gained confidence and anger. "I hate that I cannot be at home with my friends and family. I hate that this child is a product of the worst night of my entire existence, and that I may recall that night every time I look upon its face. I hate that its father is a monstrous creature who becomes a wild animal at nightfall, and that its father would sooner eat the child than raise it-"

Sebastian brought his hand away. "Ciel..."

"-and I hate, most of all, that I don't hate you. I should, by all accounts, but I do not." Ciel sighed heavily, rapidly deflating. "Make of that what you will."

Sebastian was quiet, and Ciel assumed he had no words to say. Suddenly he was frustrated.

"You may leave now," he said hollowly. "I must rest. It has been a trying day."

Once again Sebastian got up to leave, heading for the door- And once again, he paused, turning back to the boy lying prone now in the bed-the terribly small, terribly vulnerable human that he had forced into his world. The one that was now his complete responsibility.

"I will care for you," Sebastian said firmly. "I will protect you and our child with all of my strength. I will do everything I can to make you comfortable here. That...that is the least I can do to atone for what I've done to you."

"Suddenly you've found your humanity?" Ciel murmured, his eyes fixed on the wall across from him.

"No," Sebastian replied simply. "It was shown to me."

Then he turned the doorknob at last, and left the room.

* * *

><p><strong>Vulnerable Sebastian is a cute Sebastian! ^^ Random question: who is your favorite character so far and why? Just curious! Please review! <strong>


	12. Encircling

**So I was in the sebaciel tag the other day on tumblr and I saw someone say they wanted this story to update and I squealed like 'fuck someone cares about this story?!' But anyways, yeah here you go. Sorry it took so long but my birthday was a few days ago so I just got lazy and ya know how it is. I threw in one of my OCs that I've had on a shelf for a while now and never used. He was originally going to be the Undertaker but then I realized how hard it is to actually write the Undertaker, and gave up. **

**Btw if you wanna follow me on tumblr, the link is on my profile. Ask me questions, tell me I suck, send me hate. Idk. Whatever you want.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><em>The baby was coming.<em>

_Ciel laid back on the bed, his hands knotted around sweat-damp sheets, writhing in pain. There was a clock nearby, ticking loudly, the noise somehow great enough to pound in his head, over and over and over. Tick tock tick tock tick tock. He was all alone- No one was there to help him, and the baby was coming, and he had no idea what to do._

_"Help me," he cried. "Someone, please-"_

_"I'm here, little robin," came a voice nearby._

_Somehow Sebastian had materialized beside Ciel's bed, a shadowy figure in the darkness, standing terribly still. His eyes were bright red, demonic, piercing through the black around them. His grin was too wide, stretching across his face, bearing rows of terrible sharp teeth._

_"Go on," he growled. "Give me my child. I simply cannot wait to crunch its bones in my teeth..."_

_There was a sudden ripping sound, and Ciel sat up in alarm and stared down at his belly in horror. Something was moving inside him- He watched, paralyzed with dread as the clock ticked louder, pounding in his brain. Tick tock tick tock tick tock-_

_Suddenly, horribly, tiny claws pierced the skin from inside his body. They pushed up hard through his flesh, lingered just a moment, then raked five long gashes along Ciel's torso, ripping the skin to shreds._

_Blood gushed everywhere, and then Ciel couldn't stop screaming._

* * *

><p>The halls of the Academy were bitterly cold. Sebastian sat near a fireplace, watching the flames intently while Bard sat nearby and practiced playing guitar. The music was pleasant enough, but after a while it grew jarring, and Sebastian turned his head sharply to glare at his friend.<p>

"Enough," he said sternly. "I cannot hear myself think."

Bard frowned but set the guitar down, squinting thoughtfully at his leader. He went to sit beside him, grabbing a poker to absently stoke the fire as he chose his words carefully.

"What has you thinking so intently?" he asked finally.

Sebastian's eyes were fixed on the fire. "I fear for Ciel's health," he said easily.

"This winter is bitterly cold. He sleeps now, under the blankets I was able to find for him. Perhaps I will go into town and get more. We must make certain he is kept warm."

There was a pause, and Sebastian turned his head slightly to find Bard grinning at him.

"What?" he demanded, frowning.

"Nothing!" Bard insisted, raising his hands in surrender. "It's just that I didn't think it possible."

"Didn't think what possible?"

"For you to fall in love."

Instantly Sebastian's hackles were raised. He glared at Bard and shoved his shoulder harshly, knocking him off balance for a moment.

"Don't be an idiot," he snapped. "I-"

He was cut off quite suddenly by the sound of screams.

In an instant he was on his feet, completely forgetting about Bard as he scrambled across the hall toward Ciel's room. It was lucky, perhaps, that he didn't see the smug expression on Bard's face as he went immediately to Ciel's aid.

The human was thrashing in bed, drenched in sweat, clearly in the throes of a nightmare. Sebastian went to his side immediately, catching Ciel in his arms as the other boy bolted upright with a shrill, agonized shriek.

Sebastian held him close, his grip firm as he tried to stop Ciel from flailing.

Eventually the other boy stilled, sagging in Sebastian's arms as terrified sobs shook his frail body.

After a few moments Sebastian deemed it safe to let Ciel go, and the first thing Ciel did was lift up his nightshirt to look down at his belly. He exhaled deeply in relief to find it very much intact, his hands moving over the swollen bump which had grown significantly over the last three months.

"Oh thank God," Ciel breathed, falling back against his pillow. "Thank God..."

Sebastian bit his lip as he watched Ciel, uncertain. Looking at Ciel never failed to make him see images of his past self, at a human whose emotions were so easily within reach, now miles away from him. His humanity was so frustratingly buried, and he wanted to dig it up faster, wanted it within the palm of his hand so badly it frightened him.

Instead, all he could do was place a hand on Ciel's forehead, feeling for a temperature.

"Are you ill?" he asked.

"No," Ciel said softly, turning away from the touch. Sebastian drew his hand away quickly.

"What do you need?"

"Go," said Ciel, his voice hollow. "Just leave, please."

Sebastian felt like something with sharp edges had slid across his heart. He nodded, then slowly turned away, taking one last lingering look at Ciel before he left. He saw the other boy roll onto his side, facing the window, surrounded by white light from the snow outside. Then he closed the door and turned to lean against it.

He needed to dig deeper.

* * *

><p>Later that day Ciel left the Academy to go into town with Red and Alois. The city was bustling even during the winter months, alight with movement underneath the softly falling snow, and Ciel allowed the energy to infect him. Alois was his usual self, enthralled by everything around him, spinning and twirling happily under the snowflakes.<p>

Red watched him wordlessly, looking prickly as usual as they walked the cobbled streets. Ciel watched a mother pass by, clutching her child close as she eyed the vampyrs warily, and he felt a knot tighten somewhere in his gut.

"Red?" he said softly, and got a small grunt of affirmation in return as she examined some cooking utensils for sale. "Might I ask you something?"

She grunted again, lifting a beautiful embroidered napkin and examining it.

"Has a human ever given birth to a vampyr's child before?" he asked bluntly, his voice tense and urgent. "I mean-to your knowledge."

Red looked over at him then, her mouth tight. "I do not know," she replied. "You'd be better off asking one of the older vampyrs."

Ciel sighed, moving closer to her side so he could look at the seller's wares as well. He examined them idly as he spoke, careful to keep his voice down.

"I had a nightmare," he confessed. "The child within me tore my womb asunder.

It-it was a monster. And for all I know, my dream could very well become reality. It... My child isn't human, is it?"

"No," said Red lightly, looking vaguely disturbed. "I suppose it isn't."

Alois broke the tension then, thrusting a toy bear in Red's face. Red sighed heavily and took it from him to purchase it from the vendor.

Ciel wandered away from them then, lost in his thoughts.

* * *

><p>Later that evening, Ciel called for Sebastian.<p>

Sebastian went to him immediately, though his demeanor was tentative. He knew he was treading fragile ground, and he was careful to micro-manage himself, fearful of being rejected again. It was truly pathetic, he thought- Though Ciel didn't seem to feel the same.

Instead, the human boy wondered if the Sebastian he knew had been entirely a fictional construct, and that he was meeting another man for the first time. Late at night he'd find himself wondering just what to do with the history of Sebastian's cruelty-whether he should bury it or carry it in his hand like a weapon to use whenever he needed it.

Now, though, Ciel couldn't care less about Sebastian's complicated nature. He sat across from the vampyr on one of the Academy's many extravagant furnishings, holding his belly in one hand as he chose his words carefully.

"I wish to see a doctor," he said plainly.

"I will take you to one," was Sebastian's immediate response. "Though I must warn you, we will not be well-received. The humans are even more wary of us than they were Ash's men."

"That won't matter," said Ciel. "I need to see someone who has experience with the supernatural. I- I cannot do this alone, even with my magic. I'm afraid. I have no idea what resides within my womb, Sebastian."

What monster I have planted there, Sebastian thought, but he did not say it.

"I will find someone," Sebastian told him firmly. "Even if I have to go to distant lands. I promise you."

The corner of Ciel's mouth turned up in an amused half-smile and he shook his head. "I wouldn't have you travel too far," he pointed out. "I want you nearby, if only to defend your family."

My family. Sebastian's stomach felt oddly tight then, and he felt a sudden, desperate need to touch Ciel. He wanted to hold him close, but as always he feared crushing him.

"Give me a week," he said instead. "I will find one who can help you."

"Thank you," said Ciel, and then he held out his hand. "Help me to bed, please. I'm quite fatigued."

Sebastian nodded and took Ciel's hand to help him up, then swept him into his arms. Ciel gasped softly in surprise, but held on without comment, allowing himself to be carried to bed.

It was strange how normal it felt. Most things were strange these days.

Days passed, and the nightmares continued.

Ciel thrashed on the bed, whimpering as visions tormented his dreams, of the baby within him ripping his body to shreds. He woke up as always, drenched in sweat and screaming-and as always, Sebastian was there to catch him and hold him tight until he calmed.

It happened late at night when Sebastian was feral, so few words were exchanged. Sebastian merely held Ciel until he stopped crying, then slowly lowered him back down onto the bed and curled around him protectively until he deemed it safe to pull away. After a while, however, he simply took to shutting himself in the room with Ciel at night, hiding in the darkness and watching over the sleeping human until the pale hours of the morning.

His vampyr brethren weren't pleased. The nighttime hours were the ones in which they needed their leader the most, and yet he spent them locked in the bedroom with Ciel. No one dared speak a word of it, though- Any words that Sebastian deemed insulting to Ciel were met with severe hostility, and Sebastian had become incredibly unpredictable in general.

Their leader was changing in a fundamental way, and it wasn't something anyone could control.

It was a bleak, frigid winter morning when Ciel slowly woke, groggy from lack of restful sleep, only to discover that Sebastian was sitting in the room with him.

He sat up quickly. "Have you been watching me all night?" he demanded, his voice croaky.

"I had to," Sebastian insisted, surprised by Ciel's indignant tone. "You've been having nightmares-"

"Of course I am," Ciel snapped, standing and tugging on his dressing gown. "How could I not, with you looming over me all night like a ghost?"

Sebastian bit back the wicked retort that rose to his tongue, so hard it drew blood.

He watched Ciel silently, boiling inside, fighting the demon inside him that would never have taken no for an answer.

"I found someone," he finally said.

Ciel turned to look at him from where he was seated at the vanity, brushing his hair. "Pardon?"

"A doctor," Sebastian clarified. "He's here in the city."

Just like that, Ciel's salty demeanor evaporated. He set down the brush and clasped his hands together, looking at Sebastian with a mixture of disbelief and deep gratitude.

"Thank you," he said earnestly. "Thank you so much. When can we see him?"

"I'll take you to see him today," said Sebastian quickly, pleased that Ciel no longer seemed to be upset with him. "At your leisure. Shall I get you breakfast?"

"I can manage, thank you," Ciel replied softly.

Sebastian turned to leave then, but Ciel stopped him.

"Wait."

He turned immediately to look back at Ciel.

"Thank you," Ciel repeated, his beauty almost painful to behold. "I mean it."

"You're welcome," said Sebastian.

He left Ciel then, to join the other monsters.

A steady flurry of snow surrounded them as Ciel and Sebastian walked the city streets, heading down a road Ciel had never seen before. It was filthy and nearly desolate, much like the roads that surrounded the cathedral where they now lived. Sebastian steered him along until they reached a small alcove, where Ciel could see a small wooden door.

Sebastian opened the door for him and Ciel stepped inside, and he was immediately reminded of the lair of the Unholy Trinity. The faint, heady scent of perfume surrounded them, and there were strange artifacts and spell ingredients everywhere.

"I thought you were taking me to a doctor," Ciel hissed at Sebastian, both disappointed and apprehensive.

"Witch doctor," came a voice nearby.

Ciel turned to see a young man step out of the shadows. He was tall and very good-looking with long white blonde hair, and was dressed in the most bizarre assortment of clothes Ciel had ever seen. His entire body draped in crimson robes, and he wore a matching top hat and thick black makeup around his eyes.

"Witch doctor?" Ciel repeated, squinting.

"Oh hello," said the young man, grinning at Ciel. "Are you my patient? Aren't you lovely." He took Ciel's hand and kissed it, and Sebastian scowled.

"You said you could help him," Sebastian reminded him, his voice a low growl.

"Ah yes," said the young man, clasping his gloved hands together. "First, an introduction. I am known in this city as the incredible Vladimir. I was trained as a doctor, but then I discovered that the worlds of medicine and magic are much more alike than you may think."

"You practice healing magic," said Ciel, crossing his arms, clearly unimpressed. "I can do that."

Vladimir seemed amused by Ciel's reaction. "A white witch?" he said with interest.

"Interesting, interesting. Do you perhaps know that the world of magic isn't strictly divided into black and white? That there are spirits other than God and the Devil?"

"Get to the point," Sebastian growled, growing irritated. "Can you help him?"

"Of course," said Vladimir, focusing on Ciel. "First, however, I'll need your trust."

He stepped very close then, and Ciel swallowed nervously.

"I don't know," Ciel said softly. "I'm very afraid."

Vladimir's expression was very kind. He took Ciel's hand again, ignoring the way Sebastian glared at him from a few feet away.

"I will not harm you," said Vladimir. "I already know what you've been through. You've been hurt badly, and you fear that your soul is corrupted. Am I correct?"

Ciel stared, speechless, and nodded.

Vladimir smiled, then turned away. "Come with me."

Sebastian started to follow, but Vladimir stopped him.

"Just Ciel," he said, and led Ciel away, much to Sebastian's chagrin.

Ciel followed the witch doctor to the back room, nervous and uncertain. He felt no fear, however- Unlike the lair of the Unholy Trinity, this place didn't reek of dark magic, of unspeakable crime and evil spirits. Instead there was an air of something playful and mysterious, a world of magic that Ciel had never touched before.

"Have a seat," said Vladimir, gesturing to a chair in the corner beside a large, glowing cauldron and what was plainly an examination table.

Ciel obeyed, resisting the urge to peer into the cauldron and examine its contents.

Vladimir was moving around the room, moving objects around and gathering spell components so quickly Ciel could scarcely tell what he was doing. When he returned, he held out a cup for Ciel to take.

"Drink this," he said. When Ciel frowned at him, he shook his head and grinned.

"You know what it is," he teased softly. "Smell it."

Ciel took a whiff and relaxed. "It's chamomile."

"Enjoy," said Vladimir, then continued working. He lit a few candles then shook a bundle of herbs in the air, spreading a richly colored smoke around the room. It made Ciel feel instantly relaxed, even more than the tea did.

"Now," said Vladimir at last, facing Ciel. "I'm going to examine you. Will you come lie down on the table here?"

Slowly Ciel obeyed, feeling pleasantly warm and relaxed. He lay back, resisting the urge to close his eyes and fall asleep. Indeed, even when Vladimir was tugging down his pants and examining him in his most intimate areas, he didn't feel frightened at all. It was as if Vladimir knew exactly what trauma he'd been through and had cultivated the room to suit his needs exactly.

"You're doing so well," Vladimir murmured after a while. "Would you like to see your child?"

Ciel's eyes widened. "I- I can see it?"

"In a way," said Vladimir. "Sit up for me?"

Ciel propped himself up on his elbows and looked down at his belly. Vladimir had laid his hand upon it, and a faint glow appeared beneath the skin, vaguely in the shape of a fetus. Ciel gasped.

"How did you-? What magic is this?"

"My very own," was all Vladimir said.

He fell silent then as he continued to examine Ciel, then helped him down off the table once it was done. Ciel dressed quickly, then turned toward the witch doctor, wringing his hands.

"I must know," he said, and finally voiced the anxieties that had been plaguing him for months. "Is my child a monster? It is the offspring of a vampyr. When I give birth to it, will it-"

"Kill you?" Vladimir finished for him. "Probably not. You're forgetting; the child is human, too."

Ciel didn't seem convinced. Vladimir sighed, then waved his hand swiftly through the air. A white rose materialized and he caught it in his hand before handing it to Ciel.

"Everything will be all right," he said soothingly. "I cannot be certain what the child will be like once it is born- Only time will tell. But I know that you-your goodness, your white magic-will be an influence on this child's life. I am sure of it."

Ciel took a sniff of the rose, taking in its sweet scent, and finally relaxed.

"Ciel?" came Sebastian's voice from the other end of the store. "Are you all right?"

"He's fine," said Vladimir, leading Ciel out of the back room. "He is quite healthy.

Everything is going well."

Sebastian visibly relaxed, putting his hand possessively on the small of Ciel's back.

"Thank you," said Ciel, giving Vladimir a grateful smile.

"Come back and see me soon," said Vladimir in reply.

Sebastian steered Ciel away then, leading him back into the snow outside. They walked in silence back to the cathedral, the air between them much less tense than before. Ciel felt like the snow, in fact- Much lighter, swept up by the wind, fluttering to somewhere unknown.

But he wasn't afraid.

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you for reading! I don't know how many more chapters there will be but I am trying to keep this going as long as possible. Also might make a AO3 no matter how much I hate that site because I realized my stories will probably end up getting deleted from here for graphic violence and sex. Haha, anyways review if you want! :)<strong>


	13. Reckoning

**New chapter! ^.^  
><strong>

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>It began just like any other day. The vampyrs had scattered to rest, exhausted from the night's activities, only to be woken up abruptly by the sound of yelling. Some of them groaned, rolled over and tried to fall back asleep, but the other had no such luck. They could only retreat to somewhere quieter, trying to block out the shouting that reverberated throughout the hollow walls of the Academy.<p>

"I said I wanted _duck_, Sebastian! This is _chicken_!"

"Duck is much harder to come by, the butcher didn't sell-"

"Then go out and kill one for me! You're a vampyr, are you not?"

"There aren't any ducks about this time of year! They'll have flown south!"

"Don't raise your voice at me-"

"You raised yours first!"

The fight ended as they usually did- With Ciel wailing and sobbing about his swollen feet and aching back, and Sebastian storming out of the room and snarling at whatever unlucky soul managed to stray into his path.

"What are you looking at?" This time, it was Mey.

"Nothing!" she said quickly. "I was just-"

"Go out and hunt me a duck!" he roared at her. "Take Bard with you! Do not return until you have one dead, do you understand me?"

As usual, she obeyed without comment. Sebastian's temper was at an all-time high, and his coven didn't dare provoke him, especially when they were all trapped indoors as the winter raged outside. It was thanks to Sebastian that they had a warm place to live, after all-but each and every one would be lying if they'd said they weren't frustrated with his recent behavior.

"All because of that damn human," Timber was heard muttering one particularly frigid night as he devoured a dead rat, huddled in blankets for warmth with Claude, who jabbed him in the ribs in reply.

"Don't let him hear you say that!" he hissed. "He'll take out your throat."

The winter months slowly gave way to spring, and the vampyrs were finally able to roam the streets freely, to be outdoors instead of cooped up inside the Academy. The cabin fever seemed to have gotten to Ciel as well, who emerged from his room one dewy morning, cradling his large round belly.

"I'm going out," he announced.

"Not without me you're not," Sebastian growled in reply, rushing to his side.

"Honestly," Ciel snapped. "It's just for a bit of shopping. I'll be fine. I don't need you nipping at my heels like a hound every second of every day-"

Red rolled her eyes. "Here we go again," she muttered.

However, surprisingly, Sebastian did not retort angrily this time. He seemed to bite back on his rage quite firmly, looking intently at Ciel's face as he searched for the right words to say.

"I have something to show you," he said at last. "Will you allow it?"

Ciel seemed just as surprised as the other vampyrs. He nodded slowly, his look skeptical.

"All right," he agreed slowly. "And I insist you buy me a loaf of cinnamon bread from the baker for breakfast. I'm _famished_..."

Sebastian offered him his hand and he took it, and they left- and all at the same time the vampyrs breathed an audible sigh of relief.

Once outside, Ciel didn't hesitate to breathe in the fresh spring air. It had killed him to be stuck indoors, surrounded by stone walls far removed from nature, and he felt life rush back into him instantly. It lifted his spirits significantly, and he found himself walking with a bounce in his step, humming joyfully as he explored the marketplace.

Sebastian stood by, hands in his pockets as he looked around constantly for danger, the very picture of an alert guard dog. Ciel didn't seem to mind at all anymore, his mood having taken a definite upturn. There was no telling when it would fall again, though, so Sebastian decided to usher him along.

"It's just this way," he said, guiding Ciel with a hand on his back to a building south of the marketplace.

Ciel squinted through the sunlight to see a vast theater rise into view, comparable in size to the abandoned cathedral where they now resided. His heartbeat quickened as they approached and the distant sound of singing reached his ears, high and melodic and beautiful.

"It couldn't be," he whispered, enthralled, and hurried inside the theater to catch a glimpse of the singer.

A small, thin woman with blonde hair and an angelic voice stood on the stage, practicing her lines. Ciel gasped at the sight of her, his eyes wide as he studied her every move.

"Her songs are known all over the world, even in Shady Hollow. I've always dreamed of singing like her, ever since I was a child..."

Sebastian shushed him gently, and they both fell silent as they continued to watch the woman sing. Ciel mouthed the lyrics along with her, drumming his fingers on the railing of the balcony that he and Sebastian stood upon, clearly enraptured. Sebastian's eyes were on Ciel and Ciel alone, watching with some fascination as the human boy was swept up by the music, looking more beautiful than Sebastian had ever seen him before.

After one more song finished, grousing about her voice being tired and how badly she wanted a drink. The spell broken, Ciel finally turned to look at Sebastian.

"How did you know she'd be here?" he asked.

"I didn't," Sebastian confessed. "But you'd expressed interest in visiting the opera house before, I recall."

"Yes," said Ciel softly, eyes darting away. "I've dreamed of singing here my whole life, but... Well, I never thought I'd ever leave Shady Hollow, and now..."

He trailed off. Sebastian was quiet for a moment, eyes fixed on his forlorn expression- and then, abruptly, he took Ciel roughly by the hand and tugged him away from the balcony to the main floor. Ciel was startled, but followed along, curious to see what Sebastian had in store for him next.

"Sebastian!" he hissed as he was pulled up onto the stage. "We'll be caught!"

"Do you honestly think anyone would reprimand a vampyr?" Sebastian snorted, then frowned when he saw Ciel's look. "It'll be quick."

Ciel rolled his eyes. "Well all right, what is your plan then?"

Sebastian was moving away, though, circling the piano to have a seat behind it. Ciel watched, taken aback, as beautiful music began to encircle them, spiralling out through the theater walls-a song Ciel knew. It was like a dream; Ciel's feet were moving of their own accord, taking him to the very center of the stage, and words were leaving his lips before he even realized he'd started singing.

It was an old hymn, one that Ciel had sang in church many times. The song left his lips effortlessly as it always did, but it sounded so different. The theater made his voice tower and soar, and Ciel felt as though he'd sprouted wings-and if he closed his eyes he could see a crowd before him, packing every seat in the house, each and every audience member hanging on to his every breath.

And then the song ended, and Ciel spiralled back down to earth.

"Stunning," he heard Sebastian say, and Ciel finally opened his eyes and turned to look at him.

"I didn't realize," Ciel commented softly, "that you were so musically inclined."

"You live for more than two hundred years, you learn many things," said Sebastian, stepping out from behind the piano. "And I too had a passion for music. I once sang in this very theater as well."

Ciel just nodded, unable to think of a reply. He always felt strange when Sebastian discussed his life before he was turned. It was as if he was looking at a frail glass sculpture that would shatter if he breathed too hard on it.

Instead, Ciel looked back out at the theater around them, taking in the beautifully painting ceiling.

"I simply can't wait to tell Edward about this when I go home," he sighed.

Immediately Sebastian's look soured. "We should leave," he said brusquely, and moved past Ciel to start heading down the aisle toward the doors. His demeanor had changed so quickly that Ciel almost wondered if his mood swings were becoming contagious.

Nonetheless he followed, his footsteps lighter than air and his heart so heavy he feared he'd plunge straight through the ground anyway. Part of him was elated, and part was confused-but most of him simply ached for home.

Once they returned to the Academy, Ciel went straight to his bedchamber, exhausted. He napped for a few hours, then headed for the fireplace once he woke to mix himself an anti-nausea agent. The amount of medicinal salves and teas he'd been making lately had reached uncharted heights, and he was running out of herbs and spell components more quickly than ever. Still, it was worth it to ease the symptoms of his pregnancy, which just kept worsening as the months dragged on.

"You are taking quite the toll on me, little one," Ciel muttered, rubbing his belly as he sipped his tea.

He sat there for a long time, just enjoying the peace and quiet before he became restless and decided to go for a walk through the halls of the Academy. It never ceased to amaze him just how beautiful the Academy was, and he discovered something new every time he decided to explore it.

There was one particular feature that he'd grown the most fond of, however, and he headed there now, walking slowly until he reached what was once the senior common room. There on the far wall were mounted paintings of past students, and Ciel drew close to examine one subject in particular.

It had taken him a moment the first time he saw the picture, but it was unmistakably Sebastian.

His face was youthful and glowing, and he was wearing the the Academy uniform and a proud smile-the sort of smile that spoke of promise, of hope, of dreams that had long since crumbled and died.

Ciel thought about earlier that day, about his own dream that had been fulfilled so quickly and so easily that it hardly seemed a memory. It had been thanks to Sebastian, he thought. Sebastian had taken him there, had swept him up on the stage, had played beautiful music for him.

Sebastian, the vampyr, the killer, the ruiner.

_The monster_.

It had been many months since the terrible night in the barn, and every day it grew more distant. It was easy to think of it as a nightmare, even while the proof of its reality grew in his body-and Ciel wondered whether his mind was still straining to try to protect him, or if he really was that much closer to healing.

_Forgive him_ suddenly appeared in his mind, placed there by the sight of the sweet boy in the painting, and Ciel tore his eyes away.

He didn't think he could forgive Sebastian, but maybe they could find something in the middle of the crazed passion and furious tension between them, something that would prove beneficial to them and their baby. The strange on-and-off nature of their relationship needed to change, and for the first time Ciel believed that it could. Earlier that day Sebastian had proved something to him, had opened up a door Ciel had thought locked and buried, and hope for the future was shining through.

Ciel left the common room then, determined to find Sebastian and talk to him.

The sun was setting as he walked down the halls of the Academy toward the cathedral, and with every step Ciel found himself feeling more and more hopeful. Maybe Sebastian had changed for good, and that his humanity was finally unearthed. Maybe the monster was finally gone.

He made the trip through the catacombs and reached the entrance to the cathedral, and all at once his hope came crashing down, shattering at his feet.

Sebastian and the other vampyrs were gathered near the altar, feasting on a dead human. Sebastian had torn out his throat and was devouring it, blood and gore dripping and falling off his face in grisly chunks, his eyes bright and wild like a rabid animal.

Ciel felt his stomach turn and he shook his head, his entire body trembling.

"How could you?" he said softly.

It was the faintest whisper, barely audible over the sound of ripping flesh around them, but Sebastian's keen senses picked it up. The vampyr leader looked up from his meal, and upon noticing Ciel he dropped what he was eating and rose to his feet.

"You killed a human," Ciel was saying, slowly backing away from the scene. "How _could_ you?"

"Ciel-" Sebastian said, reaching toward him. "Little robin, you must understand, he was a criminal, a murderer-"

"And so are you!" Ciel cried. "I thought you had changed, but-but you're still a monster!"

With that he turned away and ran through the passageway back to the Academy. He could hear Sebastian calling after him, then heard his footsteps gaining ground behind him. Ciel quickened his pace, desperate to put distance between them, but his human legs were no match for Sebastian's.

In just a few moments he was caught, pulled back toward Sebastian, and he screamed and struggled.

"Let me go!" he cried. "Let me- _Oooh_-"

He felt a cramp in his belly and clutched it, doubling over. Sebastian moved to his side instantly, alarmed.

"Let me take you the rest of the way," he insisted, and Ciel couldn't argue.

Sebastian scooped him up and carried him the through the catacombs, then laid him down on one of the ornate couches in the Academy's meeting room.

Ciel slowly calmed down, but he couldn't stop the tears from flowing. He felt so ashamed of himself-ashamed that he'd thought Sebastian had somehow miraculously turned human, and that the discovery that he hadn't was taking such an emotional toll on him.

"Ciel," Sebastian was saying, lowering himself onto his knees beside the couch. For someone with such a commanding and authoritative presence, he seemed small and terrified right then.

"It's nothing," Ciel mumbled. "Go back to your kinsmen. Leave me alone."

"No," said Sebastian suddenly, raising his voice. "No, we must speak of this-"

"Don't shout at me," Ciel snapped, sitting up and supporting himself on one hand so he could glare at Sebastian. "You are the one at fault, for behaving like a barbarian after I thought you'd changed-"

"Changed?" Sebastian repeated, incredulous. "What the hell are you talking about? I am a vampyr, Ciel, and so I shall be until the end of time. I cannot _change_. You know this!"

"Yes you can! You can stop killing humans, you can eat animals like you did before!"

"I've told you, we have a contract with the people of the city-"

"Then let's leave the city!"

"You already are, aren't you?"

Ciel stopped then. He was on his feet now, holding his belly as he argued with Sebastian. His eyes narrowed at Sebastian's last statement, confused.

"What?"

"When our child is born," said Sebastian, his tone unsteady. "You are returning to your village, are you not? As you said before, in the opera house."

Ciel just stared at him, stunned. "You can't have thought I would stay," he said in a low voice.

"My kinsmen and I are not welcome in the Hollow," Sebastian continued. "You know this. Now more than ever before. I will never see my child, or-or you, not ever again."

The admittance was so startling, so unexpected, that Ciel felt as if he'd been knocked backward. He had no idea how to reply. He was quiet for a while, watching Sebastian pace about angrily in front of him, and then felt his own anger start to grow.

"You thought I'd stay," he said, his voice slowly rising. "With you. So you may devour human flesh before my child-"

"I can stop, we can eat animals instead, I'll tell the others-"

"-and behave like a wild beast after nightfall-"

"You know I cannot help that-"

"-and when my child is grown, will you tell her how she was conceived, Sebastian? _Will you tell her_?"

It was the word 'her' more than ever that caused them both to fall silent then. Sebastian looked stricken, and even covered in blood as he was, he was suddenly far less fearsome.

And then he said it.

"I'm sorry."

It was Ciel's turn to be stunned then, but his expression was carefully neutral. More than anything, he just felt exhausted.

"Say it again," Ciel demanded.

"I'm sorry," Sebastian continued, taking a step forward. "You are beautiful and brilliant and incredible, and not a day goes by I don't regret what I took from you, and my god, I am so sorry-"

"Prove it," said Ciel. "Prove to me you can change. That you can come close to being a father. Do everything you can to show me you can be human, Sebastian, and that you are worth any ounce of forgiveness that I might show you. Prove to me that you are worthy of my heart."

Tears filled his eyes and he shook his head, so overcome with emotion he was certain his legs would soon cease to carry him.

"Prove it to me," he repeated, his voice a low whisper.

He turned away then and headed back to his bedchamber, reeling, and he felt Sebastian's eyes on him until he was within its confines. Once he was laid in bed he allowed himself to weep, and cried until sleep finally stole over him once again, carrying him blissfully away.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Ciel went to see Vladimir.<p>

The witch doctor was at first surprised when he walked through the door, not expecting him for another few weeks. He then quickly sense Ciel's distress and welcomed him inside for a cup of tea.

Ciel stared into the hot liquid, at the pallid face reflected there that looked nothing like his own.

"Well," said Vladimir at last. "I do not need magic to know something is troubling you. What has brought you to me this morning, lovely Ciel?"

As usual, Vladimir's playful demeanor was soothing. Ciel sighed and finally took a sip of his tea-which tasted wonderful, spices exploding on his tongue-and then began to speak.

"Sebastian is a vampyr," he said bluntly. "You knew that, right?"

"Yes," said Vladimir solemnly. "And I know he has done something terrible to you, though I'd never go so far as to try and learn what."

"I appreciate your restraint," Ciel remarked. "But it's all right. I... He put this baby within me, and I did not want nor ask for it."

Vladimir simply nodded, listening.

"And now," Ciel continued, "now I must contend with it. I must contend with the fact that I cannot return home, lest the people of the village learn I'm a witch. I must contend with the fact that the child within me was conceived in an act of violence I can never forget. And I must contend with-"

He cut himself off, his lips tightening.

"With what?" Vladimir pressed him gently.

The root of Ciel's distress, the thing that had been haunting him for months, was finally rising to the surface. He clutched his mug with both hands, his palms burning from the heat, grounding him.

"I killed someone," he said finally, his words quivering in the chilly air.

If Vladimir was experiencing any reaction to that statement, he kept it well hidden. He merely sat across from Ciel and regarded him, listening silently and intently.

"He was evil," Ciel went on. "He killed and tortured people. He was the reason Sebastian became a vampyr, the reason he lost his humanity. Ash-"

"Wait," said Vladimir at last. "You killed _Ash_? The leader of the vampyrs? That was _you_?"

Ciel was surprised by his tone and turned to look at him, only to see that Vladimir looked nothing short of awestruck. He nodded slowly, uncertain.

"Ciel, that is incredible," Vladimir assured him. "People have been trying to kill him for years- Warriors, _armies_ even."

"That doesn't matter," said Ciel, uncomfortable. "I did a terrible thing, and now I fear my magic might be tainted. I'm no better than the witches who give themselves over to black magic, to the Devil. I let the darkness in, and now- What does that mean for me? For my child?"

He was in considerable distress, so Vladimir shelved whatever questions he had and leaned forward to gently take the mug of tea from Ciel's hands and place it on the table beside them.

Then he took Ciel's hands in both of his, holding them firmly and reassuringly.

"Ciel," he said carefully. "How do you feel about killing Ash?"

Ciel frowned, confused. "Terrible," he replied. "Wrought with remorse."

"Then you are not a dark witch," said Vladimir simply. "A dark witch would never feel guilt for something like that. You have a kind heart, Ciel Phantomhive. I sensed it the moment I first saw you. Frankly, Sebastian is lucky he is allowed to be within several miles of you. And your child is lucky as well, blessed to have someone so pure and just as its parent."

Ciel just stared at him, speechless.

"As for Sebastian," Vladimir continued. "Do you wish to forgive him?"

"I don't know," said Ciel. "He has changed so much, just for my sake. He has made so many sacrifices for my safety and comfort, and he brought me to you."

"No," said Vladimir firmly. "That isn't how it works, lovely."

Ciel was silent, watching Vladimir and hanging onto every word he said. He felt like he were gripping the edge of a steep cliff, and that Vladimir was tugging him upward to safely but one slip would send him plummeting downward.

"What do you mean?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

"If you forgive him," said Vladimir, "it must be for you. You owe him nothing. If you choose to forgive, it must only be to cleanse your own heart, to free yourself. Do you understand, lovely?"

"I think so," Ciel replied.

Vladimir released his hands slowly and smiled.

* * *

><p>Later that evening Ciel was struck with a craving, so he insisted upon going out into the markets.<p>

As usual Sebastian accompanied him, ever the watchdog, though there was still palpable tension between them.

Ciel didn't speak to him unless it was absolutely necessary, trapped in his thoughts about his conflicted feelings and Vladimir's words-colliding and mixing with his own in his brain, repeating over and over.

_'If you forgive him, it must be for you.'_

_'Prove to me that you are worthy of my heart.'_

_'Cleanse your own heart, free yourself'-_

"Thank you," he told the vendor as he bought the food he wanted, and then the shops around them began to close up for the night. He hadn't realized it was so late.

It occurred to him suddenly- Sebastian would be turning feral soon.

"Let's go back," he told Sebastian quickly, and they left the marketplace quickly. To return to the cathedral, however, they needed to take the back roads of the city, through some truly unsavory areas.

Indeed, it was much more frightening at night. Ciel walked quickly, his heart pounding in his throat. He knew Sebastian would protect him if anything happened, but he wasn't ready to trust him with that. Anger still boiled in his heart, poisoning him, making him foolish.

That was, perhaps, why it was so easy for the man to grab him.

Ciel found himself pulled suddenly against the body of a stranger, who held a sharp blade to his throat. He trembled, not daring to struggle, and grimaced as he smelled the mugger's putrid breath.

"Give me all you've got," the man growled at Sebastian. "Or I'll cut the bitch's throat and kill the baby, too."

Ciel scrambled to find something, some kind of magic he could use to defend himself, but he was terrified. The threat made against his baby chilled his blood, and he froze up against the man holding him, completely helpless.

It seemed, however, that he didn't have to fear for long. Sebastian approached slowly, stepping out from the shadows, revealing a feral vampyr standing before the feeble human who held Ciel in his grasp.

Immediately, the man let him go and ran.

It took Ciel a moment to get his bearings, his hands falling immediately to the bump of his belly as if worried it had disappeared. He realized after a moment that he was standing alone, and that Sebastian had rushed past him and was chasing after the man.

Ciel immediately broke into a run, dread spreading through every inch of his body. Sebastian was going to kill that man, he realized. He was going to rip him apart and eat him, even after Ciel had told him to stop, to quiet the monster, to reach for his humanity as far as he could-

His feet slapped on the cold pavement as he ran, clutching his belly, his lungs burning from the exertion. Finally he reached a dead end-and sure enough, he found Sebastian crouched over the fallen man.

"Please," the man was sobbing. "I just needed money, I- I'm starving- I'm sorry, please don't kill me, please-"

For a long moment it seemed as though the words were falling on deaf ears. Sebastian stared down at the man with murderous intent, his eyes red and wild, his fangs bared. He lifted one clawed hand, his chest heaving with fury and blood lust, preparing to slash it across the man's throat-

"Sebastian!"

Ciel cried out to him from where he stood just a few yards away.

"Sebastian, please," he begged. "Don't."

Something in Ciel's voice told Sebastian where words could not: _If you kill that man, it's over._ His earlier demands were taut in the air, hanging above Sebastian's head, struggling to permeate his feral mind.

_Prove it to me. Prove to me that you are worthy of my heart._

Ciel watched him silently, his eyes suddenly piercing and resolute. Sebastian took one look at him-at his eyes, his frail form, the child inside him-and slowly lowered his claws.

He grabbed the terrified man by the collar and shook him.

"Go," he growled, and shoved him away.

The man didn't need telling twice. He ran as fast as he could in the opposite direction, his body tearing past Ciel, whose eyes were fixed on Sebastian.

Sebastian had gotten to his feet, his spine rigid in his feral state, his limbs shaking. Ciel, however, felt no fear. He walked slowly toward Sebastian, cradling his round belly, feeling a rush of gratitude and what felt alarmingly like hope.

"Let's go home," he said.

* * *

><p><strong><strong>I want to thank everyone that reviews this story, it means a lot to me and really makes this story worth it! I don't know how many more chapters there will be, and to be honest I am kind of stuck with what to do next, but this story will be finished no matter what! Also, baby names are greatly appreciated! (;<strong>**

****Update: Regarding a recent review I didn't allow to be posted, I will respond to it here. Ciel is NOT transgender. Ciel is a male born with a pussy. It IS NOT REALISTIC. CIEL WAS NEVER A FEMALE. I am not being offensive by calling it a kink. I am MTF transgender and I really do not appreciate it. If you're offended you do not have to read and I have made that very clear. Okay? Okay.****


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